Malcolm & Marie Review: John David Washington & Zendaya Shine in Sam Levinson's B&W Drama
- naterichard98
- Feb 14, 2021
- 2 min read
DIRECTED BY: SAM LEVINSON
STARRING: ZENDAYA, JOHN DAVID WASHINGTON RATED R FOR PERVASIVE LANGUAGE AND SEXUAL CONTENT
LENGTH: 106 MINUTES
The making of Malcolm & Marie is perhaps just as interesting as the film itself. When the pandemic forced Hollywood to shut down last year, Euphoria creator Sam Levinson didn't want the crew of his hit HBO series to be without work. This predicament ultimately led him to reteam with his show's star Zendaya to make a movie in the midst of the pandemic, all while following the required regulations for a safe film-set. The result: a one-location black and white drama starring only two actors.
Malcolm & Marie is set over the course of one night as filmmaker Malcolm Elliot (John David Washington) and his girlfriend Marie Jones (Zendaya) return home from the premiere of his new film and anxiously await the film's critical reception. Tensions brew as it's revealed that Malcolm forgot to thank Marie, his inspiration for the film, during the premiere, which leads to their relationship falling apart within hours.
This is certainly not a film for everyone, Levinson's writing and directorial style can come across as pretentious and self-indulgent several times over the course of the film, but the messages on identity, addiction, and sexism will speak to some of the film's audience. The film also speaks on the double standards presented in Hollywood and with how professional critics respond to certain types of movies in a way that can feel insightful. On the other hand, the film is occasionally guilty of the same things that it's speaking out against.
What truly makes the film work as well as it does is the performances from Zendaya and Washington, who are both at the top of their game. They share excellent chemistry with other and are completely believable as a couple; for those concerned about the age-gap between the two, fear not: the film addresses it in a way that feels natural to the story. Washington continues to prove that he's the next big thing, after delivering two electric performances in films like Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman and Christopher Nolan's Tenet, his work in Malcolm & Marie may just be his best yet. Zendaya is equally as good as her co-star, giving a mature and powerful performance that will be stuck in your head long after watching the film.
While a film set in one location such as this could have easily come across as boring, Levinson, Zendaya, and Washington make the film as engaging as possible. The film does lose a bit of steam in some sections, but it's always able to pick itself back up. Levinson career may still be young, but his sensibilities as a filmmaker are all over his latest directorial effort.
Malcolm & Marie is either going to really work for some audience members or completely turn them off within the first 10 minutes. It's a stylish, distinctly written, and extremely well-performed drama that definitely isn't without personality.
4/5 Stars
Malcolm & Marie is now streaming on Netflix.
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