There was a superhero in theaters last weekend, and it wasn’t Madame Web. Instead, it was the central figure of the music biopic Bob Marley: One Love, which comfortably sailed to first place at the box office and may be one of the first real hits of 2024. Secret Invasion‘s Kingsley Ben-Adir plays Bob Marley at a specific time in his career — after he survived an assassination attempt while lobbying for peace in Jamaica.
Bob Marley: One Love is an inspiring story about a true legend in the music industry, and it continues the resurgence of music biopics that has unfolded over the last two decades, including a few films with very prominent Oscar-winning performances. If you liked Bob Marley: One Love and you’re looking for more films like it, then you can stream the following three movies now.
Get on Up (2014)
The late Chadwick Boseman didn’t do all of his singing in Get on Up, but he convincingly recreated the manic energy of James Brown in this flick. Brown and his longtime collaborator, Bobby Byrd (Nelsan Ellis), were instrumental figures in the development of soul and funk music. But as the film shows, Brown and Byrd didn’t always see eye-to-eye.
There’s a common theme among the movies on this list, and in the lives of many famous musicians: drug and alcohol addiction. Brown’s biggest enemy was often himself as his addictions and his ego drove a wedge between him and the people who loved him. Get on Up doesn’t shy away from Brown’s shortcomings, but it also celebrates the talent that made him one of the all-time greats.
Watch Get on Up on Netflix.
Ray (2004)
Jamie Foxx won his first, and to date, only Oscar for Best Actor for his performance as Ray Charles in Ray. Foxx doesn’t attempt to recreate Charles’ one-of-a-kind voice, but he fully embodied the music legend on-screen. Reportedly, Foxx even performed most of his scenes blind, with prosthetics over his eyes, just to recreate that aspect of Charles’ physicality.
Kerry Washington co-stars as Charles’ wife, Della Bea Robinson, but as the film shows, Charles’ love wasn’t limited to a single woman. Charles’ addiction to drugs is also a critical part of this story, as is his eventual triumph over his personal demons.
Rent or buy Ray on Prime Video and other digital outlets.
Walk The Line (2005)
Walk the Line isn’t just the story of country superstar Johnny Cash — it’s also the story of Cash’s second wife, June Carter Cash. Director James Mangold struck box office gold when he cast Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon as Johnny and June, in part because both performers actually provided their own vocals in the film’s songs. Witherspoon even won Best Actress for her performance.
In this retelling of Cash’s life story, his greatest adversary is his overpowering addiction to drugs and alcohol. Not even Johnny’s first wife, Vivian Cash (Big Love‘s Ginnifer Goodwin), can get him to turn back from those inner demons. Instead, June’s love for Johnny has to lead him to the light.
Watch Walk the Line on Max.
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