Malcolm & Marie
Starring: John David Washington and Zendaya
Directed By: Sam Levinson
Rated: R
MARIE! MARIIIIEEEE! MARIEEE! “Rebecca wrote a review on my movie, Marie!”-Malcolm if he knew I wrote this. This movie hates critics and everything they have to say. It feels trivial to write a review on it, but I’m going to anyway.
Malcolm & Marie is a VERY polarizing film from writer/director Sam Levinson (Euphoria, Assassination Nation) about a filmmaker and his girlfriend returning from his latest movie premiere. The two embark on a night of arguing and contemplate if their relationship can survive the fallout.
I have very mixed opinions on Malcolm & Marie. First off, it’s obvious that Sam Levinson wrote this film from a partially autobiographical perspective from particular experiences he has had in the industry making films/dealing with critics. It’s as if he inserts himself into the character of Malcolm. That being said, it’s odd that he frames the film from a black lead’s perspective considering Levinson himself is a white child of Hollywood nepotism. (Levinson’s father is Barry Levinson, director of Rain Man, Wag the Dog and several other films) Malcolm frequently brings up the topic of race in the industry, and while it’s a theme that should be explored, it’s just bizarre when you take a step back and think about the script.
While I have been a fan of some of Levinson’s works, like Euphoria, the writing here is extremely long-winded from scene-to-scene. The film follows a repetitive style.
Malcolm and Marie get along.
Malcolm yells while aggressively eating Mac and Cheese.
They fight in a monologue.
They make up
Marie gets mad
They fight in a monologue.
They make up
Malcolm yells (not while eating Mac and Cheese this time)
They fight in a monologue.
Repeat ten more times
It’s not even a two-hour movie, but I was exhausted by the time it was overdue to the toxic relationship depicted. The number of monologues is insane. A few monologues in a movie are great. I encourage a great movie monologue. But when a film consists of only monologues, it’s a lot to take in. I’ll admit that some monologues made for some compelling points, but there comes a time when it’s time to put that pen down, Sam Levinson! No one in the world argues like they just studied the thesaurus! Malcolm & Marie talk to each other like they are reciting the Oxford dictionary.
The script may be a mess, but the acting is quite the opposite. John David Washington is excellent as Malcolm, The narcissistic jerk who’s obsessed with the public perception of him. He brings an energy that you can’t look away from. It’s a charismatic, compelling, and at times downright crazy performance. One minute, he’s riding the high of his movie premiere, and the next, he’s cursing any critic who dares to question his filmmaking choices. Malcolm is a terrible boyfriend who emotionally hurts Marie time and time again. There were so many moments that I felt like she should pack her things and leave.
It’s already been established that Zendaya is a star, but her performance as Marie solidifies it even more so. She’s used as Malcolm’s muse but wants to be known as her own person outside of his world. There’s a scene towards the end of the movie involving a “thank you” speech that is really fantastic acting. The fact that she and Washington are capable of making the audience watch almost two hours of this script is a testament to their acting ability.
The cinematography in Malcolm & Marie is stunning. If you’ve ever watched Euphoria, you know that Marcelo Rev knows how to get a shot. Filmed in black and white, the film has a classic, timeless look. The secluded LA home that the couple shares gives the audience a sense of claustrophobia. There’s no one seen except them from the entirety of the film. Rev capitalizes on that feeling, brilliantly making us feel that their relationship is closing in on them.
Malcolm & Marie’s lead performances and top-notch cinematography can’t save the film from the repetitive and messy script that brings the whole movie down.
My Rating: 5/10