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Malcolm & Marie
2021 106 min United States of America R 18+
★6.6
Drama, Romance
Director: Sam Levinson
Trailers
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Description
As a filmmaker and his girlfriend return home from his movie premiere, smoldering tensions and painful revelations push them toward a romantic reckoning.
Budget:
$2.5M
Starring
John David Washington
Actor
Zendaya
Actor
Awards
MTV Movie & TV Awards 2021
— Best Actor or Actress
Key opinion
Malcolm & Marie is a visually striking, dialogue-heavy chamber drama that leans heavily on the charismatic performances of Zendaya and John David Washington to anchor a volatile relationship study. While the film is praised for its aesthetic execution and acting, it is frequently criticized for its repetitive screenplay and the unlikable, taxing nature of its central conflict.
| Cinematography | The monochromatic cinematography by Marcell Rév creates a timeless, visually stunning atmosphere that keeps the focus squarely on the actors' emotional performances. | |
| Acting | Zendaya and John David Washington deliver powerful, committed performances that elevate the material despite the flawed screenplay. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is divisive, with some finding the dialogue an intense and thought-provoking examination of relationship dynamics, while others perceive it as repetitive, pretentious, and lacking in depth. | |
| Emotion | The film’s emotional resonance is split; while some viewers find the raw portrayal of toxic conflict gripping and authentic, others find the characters perpetually unlikable and the narrative exhausting. | |
| Pacing | The pacing of the two-character dialogue feels sluggish in the middle acts, causing the film to drag despite its relatively compact runtime. | |
| Ending | The conclusion of the film is viewed as weak or nonsensical, failing to provide a satisfying resolution to the conflict established earlier in the night. |