Movie Review: “Queen & Slim” Is a Stylish But Flawed Ride or Die Romance

This ain’t no Bonnie and Clyde.

Ever since Queen & Slim landed in US cinemas late last year, the film has been crudely labelled a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde. The comparison is understandable, and it’s one that director Melina Matsoukas evidently anticipated, with Queen’s pimp Uncle Earl joking to the lead duo upon their arrival at his house, "Well, if it isn’t the black Bonnie and Clyde".

Except, there’s one prominent difference: our two fugitives are only criminals by circumstance.

Queen & Slim ambitiously attempts to merge its themes of romance, politics and racism into a punchy and gripping romance crime drama of mythic proportions. While it succeeds for the most part, the movie never dives deep enough to reach such epic heights. However, that’s not to say Matsoukas’ film doesn’t tell an important story, explored with incredible empathy from Oscar-nominated actor Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out) and rising star Jodie Turner-Smith.

We first meet Kaluuya and Turner-Smith’s titular characters on a Tinder date in a Cleveland diner. Let’s just say: it’s not exactly looking like it’s going anywhere. Slim is a soulful and talkative guy, while Queen, a prickly criminal defence lawyer, spends her days trying to save her clients from facing the death penalty. On the drive home, they’re pulled over by a white cop (Sturgill Simpson) who grazes Queen with a bullet after tensions escalate. With the situation spiralling out of control, Slim picks up a dropped gun from the floor and shoots the police officer dead. Queen, who knows the American justice system well, stresses they have no other option but to go on the run.

It’s during their race to Cuba that we begin to fully appreciate Matsoukas’ slick and edgy aesthetic. Having previously directed Beyonce’s "Formation" music video, it’s difficult to comprehend the fact that Queen & Slim is only her debut feature film. Of course, her flashy visuals are only accentuated by cinematographer Tat Radcliffe’s work. His use of natural light and moody colour palettes is simply stunning. Then there’s the score by Devonté Hynes (aka Blood Orange), which tugs on the heartstrings, and coexists effortlessly alongside the fiery soundtrack. Even the costuming is second-to-none, with Shiona Turini providing overwhelmingly stylish looks for Kaluuya and Turner-Smith.

Kaluuya is incredibly impressive in his role as the compassionate Slim. His screen presence is electrifying, which was to be expected given his superb performance in Get Out. The actor’s slight awkwardness and amusing one-liners are a welcome break from the unrelenting tension, and his vast abilities are shown off in full force here. On the other hand, Turner-Smith is a little enigmatic. She manages to hold her own in her first leading role, yet she’s a bit too vacant.

Although, this is more likely a fault of the script, penned by Emmy winner Lena Waithe (Master of None). While we come to learn some details about Queen’s upbringing, we never get enough insight into who she is at her core. It doesn’t help that Kaluuya and Turner-Smith are not entirely convincing as lovers. They’re supposed to be completely inseparable, except I couldn’t quite shake the feeling they were only together due to circumstance. In the first act, there's a lack of palpable chemistry which suddenly changes overnight, and we're never made privy as to why Queen, in particular, developed romantic feelings towards Slim. 

Additionally, Waithe’s script struggles to amalgamate the duo’s situation with the ongoing social conflict in America. Throughout the flick, we see some media coverage about the incident, however there’s nothing provocative enough to offer anything new to the Black Lives Matter movement. One protest-turned-riot scene in support of the fugitives starts off promising but ends in an outlandish act of melodrama. It’s also strangely intercut with the pair having sex for the first time, which only confuses the message even more.

Despite the script’s occasional messiness, the movie still has a number of poignant moments. It encapsulates how love and joy can exist alongside fear and pain, and it’s enlightening to see unlikely members of the community going to great lengths to help them evade the police. Still, there’s the lingering sense that things aren’t going to wrap up how we’d initially hoped.

It all builds up to a cataclysmic ending that proves this is really a story about freedom. As the credits roll, you’ll be reminded of the critical choices that black people must make to survive, even in our modern society. Regardless of its flaws, Queen & Slim is a zealous and powerful reminder that we still have a long way to go.

4/5

Queen & Slim is in Aussie cinemas now. It's rated MA15+ for strong sex scenes and violence. 

Header Image: Universal Pictures