A passionate 106-minute expedition to discover whether or not a relationship could ever truly withstand layers of dependency ranging from saving each other from a fatal crisis to just displaying some basic gratification is the short review on the movie Malcolm and Marie. However, given the nature of the film, and events perturbing to how Malcolm himself describes critics as washed-up gas lighters to fill an artistic expression of an individual to a political agenda regarding said individuals race and gender, is why this movie deserves the best possible perspective for a review.
The film stars John David Washington and Zendaya as the titular and only characters in the film coming back from Malcolm’s movie premiere which might have turned him into an overnight success. Given the budget and the pandemic surrounding the globe currently, the production for this movie was done in secret and with a very tight crew, the film has been distributed through Netflix. The film is directed by Sam Levinson, who is the creator of the show Euphoria.
The film encompasses a lone production mansion where Malcolm and Marie reside at. The continuity of the film is enhanced with the variety of societal dilemmas as the relatability to how the viewer can understand how the subject of conversations and arguments often hover and change instantaneously and proves nothing is ever constant and there is always another reason/opinion.
The film concentrates on the complications and the rollercoaster of emotions of an unrequited, but a symbiotically-sustaining relationship. It displays the effect of passive-aggressiveness and the intensity required to sustain a meaningful relationship through fictional barriers often brought up by ourselves. Zendaya and John David Washington deliver prodigious performances throughout the film. Marcell Rév, as the cinematographer, has captured a rare authenticity that words couldn’t captivate.
Perspective was always a voice that seemed well forgotten by filmmakers and this film presents a clear attribute to why perspective is perhaps the strongest weapon any writer should possess. No side is ever truly right and compromise is perhaps the hardest virtue to possess. The film deals with the impact of cinema and the issue with subjective opinion and criticism as well which makes it a delight to watch. Watching the film, one could get confused about whether they are right to react in a certain way. The meta-references to other films and also to the use of the word obtuse would make an avid cinephile smirk sinisterly.
Overall, this film is the depiction of a symbiote, whether one acknowledges they are part of a symbiotic relationship or not, often one depends on another in ways they aren’t aware of until they lose it. An adventure of a lifetime with untold truths, subtle pauses, and sudden urgency in all the right mix, makes the film an interesting watch and will keep you captivated till the very end.
