by Tierra Harris Disclaimer: This review contains spoilers to Queen and Slim. Upon seeing trailers of the depicted black Bonnie & Clyde movie set to release in November 2019, I was already on board. I had my doubts, though. For one, it was a depiction of yet another black tragedy. So, I knew I would leave that theatre crying, frustrated, and angry not only because of white society’s impact on us as a culture, but the never-ending stories that are always a few pages too short. And although I did leave that theatre crying, frustrated and probably a lot angrier than I could have imagined, there was power in my tears and love that I developed for this black couple, mainly because within them, I saw myself. Crafted by the minds of Lena Waithe and Melina Matsoukas, this pair definitely created a rather thrilling and homey story that leaves the audience asking “What now?” With Waithe’s previous productions (The Chi, Master of None), it was no surprise that this movie would capture the questions of identity and purpose. Similarly, Matsoukas’ past work with music videos for known celebrities like Beyoncé and Solange, as well as her directing for HBO’s Insecure, her style fit this movie like no other. In the story of Queen and Slim (their real names are not released until the very end via broadcast), two black individuals meet on a last-minute Tinder date, filled with the unlikeness of a second. With Queen (played by the newly introduced Jodie Turner-Smith) being standoffish and distracted, she was not impressed with Slim’s (Get Out’s Daniel Kaluuya) sincerity and basicness. The date, ending on an awkward note, led to the two ending their own nights. But not without one of the many climaxes of the movie hitting the audience first.
Breathtaking cinematography with fashion that spoke for itself
A well-paced journey that keeps you on the edge of your seat
IMDb IMDb
