Malcolm & Marie is a 2021 romantic drama that deals with a couple’s troubling relationship after a movie premiere.
In a world where the movie industry has been very unusual lately, Netflix has still a ton of great features for people to look forward to. Lots of unique titles for you to add to your watchlist, especially the recently added Malcolm & Marie. Written and directed by Sam Levinson, who is best known for creating the hit HBO series Euphoria and directing Assassination Nation, it’s apparently the first film to be made during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in terms of screenplay, budget and production. It stars John David Washington and Zendaya in the lead roles, and they once again bring some excellent performances that showcase their outstanding talent as actors.
Malcolm & Marie has a very simple premise, but it’s an intriguing one to explore nonetheless. After attending a movie premiere, director Malcolm Elliott (Washington) returns home with his girlfriend Marie (Zendaya), while also looking forward to his film’s critical reception. As the story goes on, they eventually start discussing their relationship, their personal struggles and their view on the industry itself. It’s basically a masterclass of outstanding acting from Washington and Zendaya, and you’re interested to learn more about their characters’ lives. Seriously, it’s that impressive.
The cast only consists of Washington and Zendaya, and they both do an amazing job carrying the film. They’re very charismatic in their roles, while also successfully conveying their emotions and thoughts. It seems like a difficult task to tell a story with just two people on screen. It’s very dialogue-heavy, which might throw off some people, but it adds layers to the characters. Levinson makes sure to give them lots of depth in a way that makes the audience relate to them. It’s hard to imagine that he has written the screenplay during the pandemic, but he has actually done it. He’s someone who likes to challenge his own creative process and take some risks. His hard work and perseverance definitely deserve some praise.
It’s important to mention that Malcolm & Marie is also a story dealing with narcissism in Hollywood. There are other social themes Levinson is depicting in his script, and they’re apparent when you see them on screen. From the get-go, the tension starts building up when they enter their home. It’s beautifully shot with stunning black-and-white 35mm cinematography, which makes it a lot more cinematic and engaging. In regards to flaws, it does have some issues such as repetition and pacing, but thankfully those issues aren’t enough to compromise the movie. As a whole, it’s a strong and masterful portrayal of the director’s filmmaking perspective.
Malcolm & Marie is marvelous. It showcases the magnificent talent of its two lead actors, and they completely shine in their roles from start to finish. You can tell that it’s a passion project from Levinson, while also being one of the best features of 2021. It’s quite terrific.