So, Malcolm and Marie.
The biggest draw for me about this film was Zendaya, and it’s the only reason why I watched this film. That, and the beginning of the film, which is done beautifully: a of formally dressed couple comes home, one is ecstatic, the other is mute and silent, and the former doesn’t realize what’s wrong with the latter, and it’s in black and white. The intro to this story is a work of art. But other than that? The film reminded me so much of Euphoria that I’m not sure if it’s because of Zendaya or if it’s because of Sam Levison.
I think I lean towards the latter. Zendaya and John David Washington are actually the only good things about this film besides its aesthetics, which is honestly what Levison should be known for at this point, considering that’s all Season 2 of Euphoria was good for. But this film felt like a Euphoria special episode, because it is once again just two people talking and talking and talking until, all of a sudden, the story ends?
Look, I think Zendaya and John David Washington did amazing. That scene where Marie has to pretend like she’s back on drugs? Phenomenal. Especially the way she just dropped the knife and gave Malcolm the middle finger. One of the last scenes, when Marie is just trying so hard to get Malcolm to understand her and I think it finally gets through to him and Washington is just standing there swallowing his tears? Genius. I have honestly zero complaints about any of the acting in this film. Both these actors, considering this film literally only has two actors, did amazing.
The script is where I’m conflicted. You see, it’s a good script in that in a conversation, it’s able to completely create these two very vivid and real lives. I mean, we never get to meet Taylor, never get to meet Anthony, but through dialogue that feels actually natural and unforced, we get to know them from the perspectives of our two main characters. And from the way they yell and curse at one another, we get to know more about their backgrounds. I remember reading somewhere once that film is a snapshot of a life, which to me means that for the audience, exposition should be subtle and well-placed, not forced down the audience’s throat. This film does that very well, and I love that even though we don’t get flashbacks and we don’t get other settings, we get to know these characters’ backgrounds.
I also really resonated with both Malcolm and Marie, which isn’t necessarily something I thought would happen since one is a screenwriter and the other is a recovered drug addict, but that’s the power of strong character building. It made sense that both Malcolm and Marie kept going back to the argument with new and more terrible things to say, because that’s what we all do sometimes, when we leave an argument feeling like we didn’t say what we wanted to say or that we didn’t hurt the other person enough. And Malcolm using the things he knows will hurt most to hurt Marie also makes so much sense; sometimes, it’s the people who know us best and who love us most that know exactly how to twist the knife so that it hurts. And Marie, I loved that she kept trying to stop the argument in the beginning and how she’s so calm but so stubborn, too. It makes sense; this scene is the culmination of her disappointment and her frustration at being ignored and taken for granted, and the more she thinks about it the angrier she gets. At the same time, she doesn’t necessarily want to ruin Malcolm’s big night, but since he can’t back off when she asks him to, she rises to the fight.
It’s hard to create characters that are easily recognizable in ourselves when there is no other method other than dialogue in a film, and I do think that this film does that wonderfully.
And the same time though, that is one of the biggest qualms I have with this film: it’s so long! And it’s just one freaking argument, over and over, and that is real and that is realistic but at the same time its just so… Boring. To watch. For the audience. I love that Sam Levison continues to do these film-length things (like the Euphoria specials episodes) that are literally just talking and talking, but it really does get tiresome, especially since there doesn’t seem to be any reason why we should care about these two arguing. There doesn’t seem like a chance that she’ll leave him, or that he’ll leave her. Marie seems to have no life outside of Malcolm’s life because they spend the entire time talking about his career and her lack of one, and Malcolm seems to love her so much that even after spitting out some of the most hurtful things possible he still wants to remind her that he loves her. Marie does say “I loved you” at some point in the film, emphasis on the past tense, but so what? She’s still there in the morning. There are no stakes in the game, so it’s interesting to watch two people tear each other apart in a way that only two very intimate people can do to each other, but it’s uneventful and flat.
I do like one of the quotes from the film, though I don’t know if I agree with it, and it’s this: “Cinema doesn’t need to have a fucking message. It needs to have a heart and electricity.” I think based on this rhetoric, Malcolm and Marie succeeded. It certainly has heart, and there is plenty of tension to create electricity, but film also needs to be an experience, whether good or bad, and that is where Malcolm and Marie dropped the ball. There is nothing to be learnt, nothing to be experienced here. Just two people who are in love but perhaps don’t like each other that much anymore, arguing for one hour and forty-six minutes.
Happy Sunday (and happy seven-year anniversary to gay marriage being legalized in America. Let’s hope the Supreme Court doesn’t take away that constitutional right.)!!
Also, I’ve compiled some resources for abortions on my other website, and feel free to check it out if you need it:
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