Review of Queen & Slim (2019) by Markhreviews — 25 Dec 2019

“Queen and Slim” will haunt you.

Unlike so many films that offer so little in the way of character development, “Queen and Slim” traces the main characters’ rapid evolution from awkward first meeting to trust and to, perhaps, a first experience at love. Because the audience is welcomed into their inner lives, we care deeply about what happens to them. And what happens to these two characters is infuriating, heart-breaking and soul-crushing.

In Act One, Queen and Slim are on a first date. When a white cop pulls them over for failing to use a turn signal, the situation rapidly escalates. Queen is shot. Slim ultimately fights the officer and shoots him in self-defense. The balance of the story traces their flight from Cleveland through the South to a hoped-for escape by plane from South Florida to Cuba. During their journey, the couple evolves from sheer panic to a sketchy plan, to bold action and adventures, to eventual hope that it all may work out. It’s a harrowing journey in which the viewer is fully invested.

What ramps up the emotional intensity of “Queen and Slim” is its “ripped from the headlines” feel. I left the theater believing that it was a true story, only to discover from subsequent research that the creative team had used elements from many recent true events to craft the powerful, though fictitious, story line.

The two main actors are simply magnificent. As Slim, Daniel Kaluuya – who had a breakout role in “Get Out” and solidified his star appeal in “Black Panther” – is compelling as a black man committed to worshipping God, loving his family and following the rules. As Queen, Jodie Turner-Smith (“Jett,” “The Last Ship”) uses her physical presence and her character’s indomitable will to command viewers’ attention in every frame where she’s on the screen.

The film is rich in symbolism. Director Melina Matsoukas (“Insecure,” “Beyonce: Formation”) and Writer Lena Waithe (“The Chi,” “Master of None”) clearly intend for the two protagonists to represent the black experience. (To underline the point, their names aren’t revealed until the end of the film.) If you’ve seen “Harriet” recently, references to the Underground Railroad (in reverse) are pretty apparent.

This film may be even more important because of its contribution to a much broader conversation. Based on the movies that have come out over the past 2-3 years, it seems that black writers and directors are in conflict over the trajectory of the black experience with white authority, especially police. In “BlacKkKlansman” and “Black and Blue,” Spike Lee and Deon Taylor offer stories with a positive arc. On the other hand, “Sorry to Bother You” and “Blindspotting” offer searing indictments that are heavy on oppression, light on hope. The upcoming “Just Mercy” seems poised to weigh in as well.

Whatever the outcome of that debate, “Queen and Slim” must be included in this canon of important social commentary. It offers a powerful, compelling story that’s a sometimes uncomfortable, but essential, experience for everybody. It may be particularly instructive for white audiences, woke and un-woke.