Malcolm & Marie is an American romantic drama film directed by Sam Levinson. It stars John David Washington and Zendaya and was released on 5th February 2021 on Netflix.
Malcolm (John David Washington) and Marie (Zendaya) both return from a movie premiere, a movie that Malcolm has directed. Thrilled with the fact that he got praised for his direction and the critical acclaim his film will be getting, he puts on some music and starts to dance. Marie, in her shiny gown, makes him mac and cheese. It's 1 a.m. and Marie is upset as Malcolm didn't give her any credit for the central character of the film which was based on her and her sufferings. The conversations turn into heated arguments and a series of events that opens all the truths about their relationship and the emotions and feelings of theirs towards each other.
The film has been written by Sam Levinson, who also wrote and created the beautiful HBO series Euphoria with Zendaya in the main role. Here Marie thinks that the base of Malcolm's film is her real-life story and she has not been thanked for that. This creates tension between the two, bringing up their vulnerable sides to the front, and that's where it gets interesting. There's nothing cinematic about this film apart from how exquisitely it has been shot, it relies on the dialogues.
The dialogues are the backbone of this film and some are real and hard-hitting too. There's one scene where Malcolm reads and expresses his feelings out loud while reading his film review written by a white woman. In one scene Malcolm says that all films don't need to have a message or authenticity - which ironically if you see that's the perfect fit for this film too. Marie could be considered as Zendaya's strongest character to date.
Her character is very complex from what it appears on the crust. Showing Marie constantly smoking and Malcolm blabbering about the criticism of the film, there is a great gap between them but they also try to cover it up by having some intimacy, which surely is confusing about their relationship but this is what relationship is, petals and thorns. You will get invested in these two characters, as they are fully fleshed out and it is done beautifully but the screenplay could have been tighter as it appears repetitive with the same events and conversations happening again and again.
Despite that Malcolm gets the chance to pour it all out most of the time, it is Zendaya's quiet face that speaks out loud. She's breathtaking in every scene and brings the 'authenticity' to her role quite effectively. John David Washington is in terrific form. He's like a bomb who blasts in some scenes, the monologue of his on the film's criticism or finding the wallet and mobile, he brings an intensity and the charm that was required to his character. It's their outstanding performance that makes you sit through this long film.
The cinematography by Marcell Rév is just stunning. Though shot in black and white 35 mm film and that too amid a pandemic, the film looks gorgeous in every frame. The music by Labrinth is effective but is minimal and has many songs in it. The production design by Michael Grasley is spot on and the editing by Julio C. Perez IV could have been crisper.
Malcolm & Marie directed by Sam Levinson is not for everyone. Written and shot during the covid-19 pandemic, the film has its limitations and is completely visible but the makers tried to make the best out of it and they have succeeded at some level. The film has its high and low notes and if it wasn't for Zendaya's and John David Washington's spectacular performances, this could have easily become a yawn fest.
Rating:- 3/5
Now streaming on Netflix.
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