At the beginning of the movie Bob Marley: One Love, the nation of Jamaica is depicted as in the midst of a political conflict, and the film’s eponymous music icon finds himself at the center of the strife when he makes plans to headline a peace concert. It’s an incredible real-world example of the power that art can possess, and while the time period depicted in the movie is the mid-1970s, writer/director Reinaldo Marcus Green sees plenty of artists in Hollywood today who are harnessing the impact that their work can have.
I interviewed Green earlier this month during the London press day for Bob Marley: One Love, and it was in the context of the movie that I asked about filmmakers whom he perceives as making a difference with their art. There was no hesitation in his ability to list off names, pointing at directors who have made movies including Moonlight, Selma, Black Panther, and more:
Yeah, for sure. I mean, you know, Barry Jenkins, Ava DuVernay, Ryan Coogler, Shaka King – the list goes on. My brother Rashaad Ernesto Green... So many, so many filmmakers are doing it: AV Rockwell. I'm forgetting so many amazing, amazing filmmakers that are doing that.
A great movie with a special story and engaging characters has the potential to change the way that a person might look at the world. Film has been a medium of enlightenment for over a century, and there are many incredible artists who recognize its power.
Continuing, Reinaldo Marcus Green explained how these directors are making compelling and entertaining movies that also offer fresh perspectives. He added,
They're challenging the status quo constantly. They're trying to push the envelope on moviemaking and the industry and the world. That's what we're trying to do always and trying to do it in a fun way. Can you make something that's fun and commercial, but also challenges audiences to think differently. So hopefully this movie sits in that kind of [place].
Audiences are certainly showing a deep appreciation for Bob Marley: One Love and the message of its subject, as the film just spent its second weekend in a row at the top of the box office. The musical biopic features an impressive cast that includes Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch, and James Norton, and with support from the subject's friends and family, the feature chronicles Bob Marley’s life from the aforementioned conflict in the mid-1970s through his time in London and the creation of the beloved Bob Marley And The Wailers album Exodus. You can see it now in theaters everywhere. For a look ahead at what’s coming to theaters and streaming services later this year, check out our 2024 Movie Release Calendar.
