I don't even want to review this movie, but it hasn't even come out and somehow half of the ratings are one star. The movie itself is pretty great and I'd highly recommend you go see it when it comes out. The acting is very strong, the directing feels very fresh/unique, and you really grow to care about the film's romance. The political statements this movie makes are secondary to the story of these well-fleshed out characters and their struggles, which makes the commentary resonate stronger than many other movies like this. It ain't perfect --it's a bit long, especially when considering the repetitive structure of the story, and the shot composition is a bit boring but this is a movie that everyone should go and see. And jesus, I don't know how it would be possible, butcan you not find a way to weed out the people who review-bomb movies with strong political messages/that have minorities or women in the leading roles? Christ.
434 Reviews
Works Well If Not Picked Apart
evanston_dad13 July 2020
"Queen & Slim" is I think the perfect example of a movie that's greater than the sum of its parts.
There are many individual moments in the film that don't hold up under scrutiny. But when experienced as a whole, the film exerts a kind of poetic power. It's equal parts sorrow and rage at the treatment of African Americans in the United States, and having watched it after the George Floyd murder (even though the film came out before it), it's impossible not to understand the actions and motivations of the Bonnie and Clyde couple at the film's center.
It's certainly overheated and histrionic at times, but these are overheated and histrionic moments we're experiencing in our country right now, and I don't want movies, especially movies about race, to play it safe. I want them to be angry, to scream and shout and swear, to have muscle and teeth, and so the energy blazing off the screen from this movie felt right for the moment.
My favorite scene is the one where Slim comments on how beautiful the countryside of rural America is as they're driving through it, and Queen, who casually glances at a prison work gang in a field made up of all black men that could easily pass for a group of field slaves from the Civil War-era South, replies, "Is it?"
Grade: A-
There are many individual moments in the film that don't hold up under scrutiny. But when experienced as a whole, the film exerts a kind of poetic power. It's equal parts sorrow and rage at the treatment of African Americans in the United States, and having watched it after the George Floyd murder (even though the film came out before it), it's impossible not to understand the actions and motivations of the Bonnie and Clyde couple at the film's center.
It's certainly overheated and histrionic at times, but these are overheated and histrionic moments we're experiencing in our country right now, and I don't want movies, especially movies about race, to play it safe. I want them to be angry, to scream and shout and swear, to have muscle and teeth, and so the energy blazing off the screen from this movie felt right for the moment.
My favorite scene is the one where Slim comments on how beautiful the countryside of rural America is as they're driving through it, and Queen, who casually glances at a prison work gang in a field made up of all black men that could easily pass for a group of field slaves from the Civil War-era South, replies, "Is it?"
Grade: A-
A solid film
BPatrick074522 November 2019
The movie is an emotional journey. The character are humanized. For a person of color, you can easily envision yourself in their shoes. The film does have an artistic quality to it which further enhances the movie. The story is good. I wish the film spent a little more time on some of the secondary characters. However, I also understand it was not their story. The film is long. A few scenes could have been cut. Nevertheless, it is a good film and worth seeing. Ignore all the negative views who are trying to bomb the reviews just because the movie stars black actors.
Can't manage to maintain the momentum after an amazing opening
jtindahouse12 June 2020
With the current climate around the world at the moment regarding the George Floyd protests, now seemed like as good a time as any to finally check out 'Queen and Slim'. The opening to this movie is incredible. We meet the characters in a diner, get to know them a little, and then an event takes place after they are pulled over by the police. This entire sequence is exquisite. It's tense, unpredictable and powerful. At this point I thought I was in for a masterpiece of a film. Unfortunately it wasn't able to maintain that momentum and fell apart a little later on, but the film is worthing watching for that opening alone.
Another aspect of the film I loved was the feeling that anything could happen. Nothing felt off the cards in this movie. It could end in any fashion whatsoever across the full range of the spectrum. I love it when films have that going for it. Where this film lets itself is that it becomes a love story and I just didn't buy it for a second. These were two pretty horrendous people who clearly drove each other reasonably crazy, and the film even goes out of its way to show us this, and yet we are supposed to believe that they are the love of each other's lives? No sale on that one sorry.
The film raises a lot of moral debates. Should people who kill police officers be treated as heroes? Is it okay to resist arrest if you don't think the arrest is justified? Is it okay to then go out and rob and steal, simply because you are on the run? Is it okay to treat people who are trying to help you very rudely? People could debate these things for decades to come, and it likely won't be the friendliest of debates which is why I have no interest in partaking in them, but the fact is the movie provides those talking points for people to have. 'Queen and Slim' is a very well made film, that just goes off the rails a little in terms of its characters likability and believability, particularly in the second half. I'd say it is worth a watch, but don't get your hopes up too high after that amazing opening.
Another aspect of the film I loved was the feeling that anything could happen. Nothing felt off the cards in this movie. It could end in any fashion whatsoever across the full range of the spectrum. I love it when films have that going for it. Where this film lets itself is that it becomes a love story and I just didn't buy it for a second. These were two pretty horrendous people who clearly drove each other reasonably crazy, and the film even goes out of its way to show us this, and yet we are supposed to believe that they are the love of each other's lives? No sale on that one sorry.
The film raises a lot of moral debates. Should people who kill police officers be treated as heroes? Is it okay to resist arrest if you don't think the arrest is justified? Is it okay to then go out and rob and steal, simply because you are on the run? Is it okay to treat people who are trying to help you very rudely? People could debate these things for decades to come, and it likely won't be the friendliest of debates which is why I have no interest in partaking in them, but the fact is the movie provides those talking points for people to have. 'Queen and Slim' is a very well made film, that just goes off the rails a little in terms of its characters likability and believability, particularly in the second half. I'd say it is worth a watch, but don't get your hopes up too high after that amazing opening.
Beautiful film.
gabriellalpersson27 June 2020
A solid effort from two novice film makers.
Belldogg8124 May 2020
Having seen this a few weeks ago, I was a blank slate going into it. Obviously I was familiar with Daniel Kaluuya, from Get Out and Black Panther and had read the film was a first time directorial effort (on this scale) but had no other preconceptions about it.
I was pleasantly surprised by just how accomplished it was. The film looks gorgeous. The cast all deliver on what feels like a fairly loose screenplay in keeping with the indie spirit of the film. Yes some plot points feel a little contrived in order to move the story on but nothing so bad that it derails the film.
The film very much reminds me of Badlands and to a lesser extent True Romance in its dreamier sequences, as the camera does an expert job of capturing the furtive glances and subconscious body language of the two protagonists deepening relationship. This is aided by an excellent soundtrack and the aforementioned top notch cinematography.
Special note to the landscape of Florida itself which as the film moves from the tight, dark confines of the city to the hot, wide open vistas serves as visual metaphor for the journey of the central characters.
It's hard enough (in 2020) to view anything outwith the prism of politics, and even harder with a film that touches on the tragedy of the black experience in modern America for some. If even the user reviews here are anything to go by, those of a caucasian persuasion (as i am) feel aggrieved at how white cops are portrayed. Forgetting that there are many incidents of "malpractice" every week and that this is a movie. Also there are plenty of films about honest, good police officers.
I would urge people to watch the film and see this is not the central point of the film. Nor does it make any strong judgement call one way or another. It simply uses what is a tragically all too common occurrence to light the spark of the story. Then holds up a lens to how that type of incident could play out. No real grandstanding, more a welcome subversion of the fugitive /romance genre from a different perspective.
It's a film that doesn't force its message or feel it has to show black people railing against injustice or overt oppression and overcoming all the odds. It just shows two people on the run, trying to survive.
As Slim says in one of the film's many great lines. "Why do black people have to be excellent, why can't we just be ourselves".
I was pleasantly surprised by just how accomplished it was. The film looks gorgeous. The cast all deliver on what feels like a fairly loose screenplay in keeping with the indie spirit of the film. Yes some plot points feel a little contrived in order to move the story on but nothing so bad that it derails the film.
The film very much reminds me of Badlands and to a lesser extent True Romance in its dreamier sequences, as the camera does an expert job of capturing the furtive glances and subconscious body language of the two protagonists deepening relationship. This is aided by an excellent soundtrack and the aforementioned top notch cinematography.
Special note to the landscape of Florida itself which as the film moves from the tight, dark confines of the city to the hot, wide open vistas serves as visual metaphor for the journey of the central characters.
It's hard enough (in 2020) to view anything outwith the prism of politics, and even harder with a film that touches on the tragedy of the black experience in modern America for some. If even the user reviews here are anything to go by, those of a caucasian persuasion (as i am) feel aggrieved at how white cops are portrayed. Forgetting that there are many incidents of "malpractice" every week and that this is a movie. Also there are plenty of films about honest, good police officers.
I would urge people to watch the film and see this is not the central point of the film. Nor does it make any strong judgement call one way or another. It simply uses what is a tragically all too common occurrence to light the spark of the story. Then holds up a lens to how that type of incident could play out. No real grandstanding, more a welcome subversion of the fugitive /romance genre from a different perspective.
It's a film that doesn't force its message or feel it has to show black people railing against injustice or overt oppression and overcoming all the odds. It just shows two people on the run, trying to survive.
As Slim says in one of the film's many great lines. "Why do black people have to be excellent, why can't we just be ourselves".
Beautifully moved
dinahs_41 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Going into the movie the police stop would've realistically ended with 2 shot and 1 person walking away free again. This time the tables turn and we have a hurt, broken (rightfully so) black woman together with an innocent naive black man, leading him down a path that she knows will end in death, and he eventually reaches that same conclusion.
As the the film moves on, you realize she needs this adventure and connection to another human being and her past to reconcile who she is. The silly delays of the 2nd date, riding a horse and running out of gas twice reminds you that these are not career criminals, but 2 humans trying to find a way out of a situation that can never be. Literally living everyday like it's their last.
The support they received along the way is uplifting and the end is beautiful and heartbreaking. This parallels the Joker in that a faction of society that is forgotten and devalued can gravitate and uplift that which will give them a voice.
The movie does do a great job at getting you connected with the characters however it did give me unreasonable hope and anxiety considering they're doomed from the start.
When we see the waitress deliver the food to Queen and Slim you just assume it's a normal regular movie but the minute Queen opens her mouth to Slim from that moment on it's pure reality and I love it, its literally today's world and I had a good time seeing it. It's the perfect date movie for today's generation, it's kind of like Do The Right Thing for this generation.
The only disappointing part was how they put their trust into a nut who lived in a trailer to get them on a plane to Cuba. Like they really thought a dude who was living in a trailer park knew the plug. I definitely recommend seeing this moving, it will surely stay on your mind and heart.
The only disappointing part was how they put their trust into a nut who lived in a trailer to get them on a plane to Cuba. Like they really thought a dude who was living in a trailer park knew the plug. I definitely recommend seeing this moving, it will surely stay on your mind and heart.
Road movie and relationship drama with social undercurrent
paul-allaer30 November 2019
Warning: Spoilers
As "Queen & Slim" (2019 release; 132 min.) opens, we get to know these two characters, as they are on their first dinner date in Cleveland. Afterwards, they get pulled over by a blatantly racist cop. The tension mounts and when the cop shoots Queen, Slims dives into the cop and in the ensuing struggle, shoots and kills the cop.Terrified by what has happened, they decide to takeoff and drive to New Orleans, where Queen's uncle lives... At this point we are 10 minutes into the movie, but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you will just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.
Couple of comments: this is the feature length debut of director Melina Matsoukas, well known for her many music videos (Beyoncé, Jay Z). Here she brings the courtship of Queen and Slim In the form of a road movie, pure and simple. After the initial shock of the opening 10 minutes, the movie takes a decidedly different tone as this is more about the budding relationship between these two then it is about excessive police force against unarmed African Americans. In that sense, the movie's trailer is a bit misleading as that clearly emphasized the racial tensions and related social issues. The other issue I have is that at two hours and a quarter hour, the movie is just too long for its own good. A tighter edit could've trimmed 15 to 20 minutes without the movie losing any of its essence. Daniel Kaluuya as Slim and newcomer Jodie Turner-Smith as Queen are terrific in the lead roles. Keep your eye out for a short (less than 5 minutes) appearance by Chloë Savigny and an almost unrecognizable Flea as her husband.
"Queen & Slim" Open wide on Thanksgiving weekend. The Thanksgiving day matinee screening where I saw this at was attended dismally (two people including myself), which quite surprised me. If you have any Interest In seeing a road movie of a very different kind, with strong romantic and social undercurrent, I readily suggest you check this out, be at in the theater, on VOD, or eventually on DVD and Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.
Couple of comments: this is the feature length debut of director Melina Matsoukas, well known for her many music videos (Beyoncé, Jay Z). Here she brings the courtship of Queen and Slim In the form of a road movie, pure and simple. After the initial shock of the opening 10 minutes, the movie takes a decidedly different tone as this is more about the budding relationship between these two then it is about excessive police force against unarmed African Americans. In that sense, the movie's trailer is a bit misleading as that clearly emphasized the racial tensions and related social issues. The other issue I have is that at two hours and a quarter hour, the movie is just too long for its own good. A tighter edit could've trimmed 15 to 20 minutes without the movie losing any of its essence. Daniel Kaluuya as Slim and newcomer Jodie Turner-Smith as Queen are terrific in the lead roles. Keep your eye out for a short (less than 5 minutes) appearance by Chloë Savigny and an almost unrecognizable Flea as her husband.
"Queen & Slim" Open wide on Thanksgiving weekend. The Thanksgiving day matinee screening where I saw this at was attended dismally (two people including myself), which quite surprised me. If you have any Interest In seeing a road movie of a very different kind, with strong romantic and social undercurrent, I readily suggest you check this out, be at in the theater, on VOD, or eventually on DVD and Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.
Captivating Film - A MUST SEE
constantinosisaias21 November 2019
I saw Queen and Slim! I am emotional and very touched from this movie. It's one of the best films this year. Incredible script written by Lena Waithe ! The way Melina Matsoukas put wisely the puzzles together to tell this story with her debut film! She is incredible storyteller! But also the movie is brilliant because of the great actors and their magnificent performances! Daniel Kaluuya is so deep with his performance you can feel everything through his eyes! Jodie Turner-Smith had an incredible strong chemistry with Daniel and she is captivating you! The soundtrack, cinematography, production was perfect ! It's a 10 stars masterpiece that it stays with you after the movie. Thank you for sharing this story out today! We need it!
Good, Even if it was a Bait and Switch
view_and_review30 November 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Queen & Slim started off as an intense drama that had me on the edge of my seat. Once the movie settled into the meat and potatoes it was no longer as intense and it was no longer a gripping drama, it was a romance.
All indications from the trailers and from the beginning of the movie made it quite obviously that it was about a Black man and a Black woman who'd just accidentally killed a Cleveland cop and their frenetic actions afterwards. Somewhere during the movie the primary issue became secondary if not tertiary as the budding relationship between them took center stage. I didn't have a problem with that necessarily, but I do think the air was let out of the sails.
As they made their cross-country trek to Florida so that they could make an Assata Shakur-style escape to Cuba they began to be less and less cautious, and less and less concerned about being caught. Each little romantic side excursion they took signaled to me as a viewer that it was no longer about escaping, it was now about creating a loving relationship. Once that was clearly the focus, I myself no longer had the same vested interest in their escape. Their escaping was a secondary concern to me as much as it seemed to be to them.
The contrast could not have been clearer than when they were having sex in the car while a protest was going on presumably in their name. Whereas the people saw two worthy individuals to galvanize them, those two people only saw each other. What was or wasn't happening around them was background noise as they began to act only for each other.
So, the end, which could be viewed as tragic to some, seemed inevitable to me. They died as a heroic couple when they were anything but, they were just a couple in circumstances that compressed them together as one. This is not to say that heroes can't be born from acting reflexively, it's more of a question of who deserves to be a hero. So, while their death was poetic and certainly romantic, I never saw it as heroic because they changed nothing.
Their death brought about no changes whatsoever. The only thing that altered from the moment they shot a cop until the moment they were gunned down was that they were lovers. No truths were revealed because whoever saw the dashcam video believed about it what they wanted to believe. There were no heroes created by their action, the only actor inspired by them was a boy who shot a cop in the face.
Yes, they were two compelling characters, especially Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith). Yes, something occurred the fateful night they met and yes, they went on a journey together. But, no, nothing changed by the time they were slain on the tarmac.
I don't want you to think that I didn't enjoy the movie because I did. This was an enjoyable movie. I enjoyed the performances by Jodie Turner-Smith and Daniel Kaluuya. I enjoyed the movie in general and the social dynamic it addressed. It was a good movie even if I felt it was a little bit of a bait and switch.
All indications from the trailers and from the beginning of the movie made it quite obviously that it was about a Black man and a Black woman who'd just accidentally killed a Cleveland cop and their frenetic actions afterwards. Somewhere during the movie the primary issue became secondary if not tertiary as the budding relationship between them took center stage. I didn't have a problem with that necessarily, but I do think the air was let out of the sails.
As they made their cross-country trek to Florida so that they could make an Assata Shakur-style escape to Cuba they began to be less and less cautious, and less and less concerned about being caught. Each little romantic side excursion they took signaled to me as a viewer that it was no longer about escaping, it was now about creating a loving relationship. Once that was clearly the focus, I myself no longer had the same vested interest in their escape. Their escaping was a secondary concern to me as much as it seemed to be to them.
The contrast could not have been clearer than when they were having sex in the car while a protest was going on presumably in their name. Whereas the people saw two worthy individuals to galvanize them, those two people only saw each other. What was or wasn't happening around them was background noise as they began to act only for each other.
So, the end, which could be viewed as tragic to some, seemed inevitable to me. They died as a heroic couple when they were anything but, they were just a couple in circumstances that compressed them together as one. This is not to say that heroes can't be born from acting reflexively, it's more of a question of who deserves to be a hero. So, while their death was poetic and certainly romantic, I never saw it as heroic because they changed nothing.
Their death brought about no changes whatsoever. The only thing that altered from the moment they shot a cop until the moment they were gunned down was that they were lovers. No truths were revealed because whoever saw the dashcam video believed about it what they wanted to believe. There were no heroes created by their action, the only actor inspired by them was a boy who shot a cop in the face.
Yes, they were two compelling characters, especially Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith). Yes, something occurred the fateful night they met and yes, they went on a journey together. But, no, nothing changed by the time they were slain on the tarmac.
I don't want you to think that I didn't enjoy the movie because I did. This was an enjoyable movie. I enjoyed the performances by Jodie Turner-Smith and Daniel Kaluuya. I enjoyed the movie in general and the social dynamic it addressed. It was a good movie even if I felt it was a little bit of a bait and switch.
HATERS will tell you it's not great because of the message
chickenfolife30 November 2019
This movie was full of emotion. Both actors were strong, and the storyline flowed. I think people who give it trash ratings most likely don't like the issue presented in the movie, which is police brutality among African Americans. I think they are giving it low ratings because it makes them feel uncomfortable. Half of them probably never even saw it!!
"Thank you for this journey"
ThomasDrufke16 December 2019
Divisive, controversial, and thought provoking, Queen & Slim is exactly the type of movie that people who complain about the lack of originality in Hollywood need to see. And for the most part, the movie succeeds at being an immersive crime thriller that never quite stops to take a full breath without rushing you back into more conflict. There are however, specific directing choices that I thought were completely unnecessary and almost repulsive, because the message that was trying to be conveyed was already there in subtext. For some people that style may work, for others Queen & Slim may be too controversial. It's the type of film that I appreciate the craft more than I actually like the movie itself. But it should be seen nonetheless.
7.0/10
7.0/10
Needs a better edit
spotboyfilms27 November 2019
This movie is infuriating because it has so much potential. The setup is promising and both actors have enough pull to take you along for the ride. Daniel Kaluuya is a great actor of our times, he carries the screen so well with his eyes and expression. For me, the movie fails in it's editing and pacing, especially past the halfway point. The movie feels about 40 minutes too long. In the beginning, the characters' decision to go on the run feels very haphazard, especially considering Queen's profession. Some of the main character decisions are remarkably dumb and certain other side characters take decisions that are unlike them. Without going into spoilers, all I can say is that this movie is just too slow paced and does not fulfil a promise of what could have been a great fugitive movie with a strong social message.
Way too long and mushy
Top_Dawg_Critic20 January 2020
What started off as a decent and engaging plot, ended up being a mushy and unnecessarily long dragged out film. This needed at least 30 mins shaved off, especially from the long and dragged out sappy scenes. The whole Bonnie and Clyde theme was ok, but I would've liked more of a story and less of the unconvincing romance. Nevertheless, decent performances and directing.
Authentic feeling
paigebalston1 December 2019
The film was a beautiful yet striking journey and though all of our favorite love stories have definite endings, this one tied two purposes together. The director did a phenomenal job and everyone involved for that matter. This is a film I'm rooting for. Hope it stays in theaters longer than 2 weeks.
Queen Of Politics and Slim On Secondary Character Development. This Drama Is Power Messages Lost to Editing Choices
rgkarim28 November 2019
Another holiday, another week to try and get the most out of the movies and the shopping frenzy of Black Friday. Tonight's feature is another political drama that will potentially lead to much discussion, potential motivation, and certainly a lot of discussion about the quality of the movie. Given the heated reviews I've seen so far, I'm going to do my best to put an objective focus on this review and give you heads up as to whether or not one should take this film in for the holiday theater run. Let's get started as I look at:
LIKES:
Acting Symbolism Adventure mixed with Morals Cultural Representation Tasteful At Times Music
DISLIKES:
Long Slow Pace Super political at parts that detracts from story Secondary character are sort of at lost A bit stereotypical at times Lazy writing in dialogue at times Predictable Editing Issues
The Verdict:
Queen and Slim's two main leads are stellar, taking very shallow characters and evolving their performances with to match the development. Their chemistry is fantastic with each other, really delivering a believable relationship that does not feel forced or scripted, but rather natural and flowing. It's this component that will be the core foundation for the film, as both Kaluuya and Turner-Smith are capable of delivering the politically charged content in heated yet classy ways. As you can guess, this movie has a lot of hot topics built into it, and the movie utilizes the cinematography to bring lots of symbolism into the film. Sequences are designed to capture the full power of many topics of interest, attempting to again balance the heat of the moment with an objective take sort of capturing a news debate in a more entertaining form. Queen and Slim's adventure is definitely a road trip that should be engaging for target audiences of drama/political lovers, but for those looking for messages to motivate you should see this achieved as well. Preachy at times (as most of these films are), this tale does a nice job of instilling the writer's values into a classy, ethical manner that will provide some food for thought and reanalyzing one's approach to these arguments. In addition, several members in my audience mentioned that they appreciated the cultural representation at key moments and the importance of pride and reputation as several secondary characters showed. I found that though stereotypical, it was tasteful compared to what other movies have done in the past. Finally, the music has enough musical genres to make an entertaining soundtrack, with R&B, Rap, and Hip hop ready to blast through the speakers during transition sequences. Not the most relevant in terms of story, but a good soundtrack is always welcome in my book to get my feet moving.
However, I agree with my reviewers there are some decisions made in this movie I felt detracted from the messages and story they wanted to tell. My limitation starts with the length of the film and the pace that did not support the length. Much of the film feels very drawn out, bloated sequences that did not need to be present, while other times it was a little too focused on pointing out the obvious. As I mentioned earlier, Queen and Slim requires the two main characters to be the focus of all the political writing in the movie. While they excel at this, the supporting characters are a little too much in the background for my tastes. Like connecting the dots, the farther the two travel the more diluted the characters become, leading to plain interactions with most, often to introduce a new angle and conversation topic to discuss. I'll admit I liked seeing the influence the two had, especially at the end, but I had hoped for a little more progression and pertinence than what we got. The truth is that this film really focuses on hitting all the political issues so hard that it sort of drives off from the story and leave the main characters in side scenes while the people they have talked to "evolve" so to speak. Most of these scenes were... okay, but a couple were so convoluted and unnecessary, that I only saw it as a more time extension than quality shot, again meant for a politically charged audience. Throw in much of the writing is again back to lots of cursing and insults to go with the stereotypical portrayals and well, you sort of drown the better writing in this representation. Overall, the main thing that this movie suffers from is the editing and trying to be too tastefully political in the sequences sort of diluted the incredible potential of the story.
Queen and Slim is a drama that has important messages for the world to see and think on, and does a decent job with not making them too aggressive. Yet, in terms of an entertaining story that has the full picture of suspense, discussion, and storytelling it still has areas of improvement to go. It's the editing and how much they wanted to include that I think got this film in trouble, and because of the side tangents and attempts to personify the problems in this character, the story got scattered. For those that want their political ideals represented and relate to the trials each character has, this movie is a theater visit, but for the rest of the audience, I feel the investment at a home watch is going to be key to maximizing your experience.
My scores are:
Drama: 7.0 Movie Overall: 5.5
LIKES:
Acting Symbolism Adventure mixed with Morals Cultural Representation Tasteful At Times Music
DISLIKES:
Long Slow Pace Super political at parts that detracts from story Secondary character are sort of at lost A bit stereotypical at times Lazy writing in dialogue at times Predictable Editing Issues
The Verdict:
Queen and Slim's two main leads are stellar, taking very shallow characters and evolving their performances with to match the development. Their chemistry is fantastic with each other, really delivering a believable relationship that does not feel forced or scripted, but rather natural and flowing. It's this component that will be the core foundation for the film, as both Kaluuya and Turner-Smith are capable of delivering the politically charged content in heated yet classy ways. As you can guess, this movie has a lot of hot topics built into it, and the movie utilizes the cinematography to bring lots of symbolism into the film. Sequences are designed to capture the full power of many topics of interest, attempting to again balance the heat of the moment with an objective take sort of capturing a news debate in a more entertaining form. Queen and Slim's adventure is definitely a road trip that should be engaging for target audiences of drama/political lovers, but for those looking for messages to motivate you should see this achieved as well. Preachy at times (as most of these films are), this tale does a nice job of instilling the writer's values into a classy, ethical manner that will provide some food for thought and reanalyzing one's approach to these arguments. In addition, several members in my audience mentioned that they appreciated the cultural representation at key moments and the importance of pride and reputation as several secondary characters showed. I found that though stereotypical, it was tasteful compared to what other movies have done in the past. Finally, the music has enough musical genres to make an entertaining soundtrack, with R&B, Rap, and Hip hop ready to blast through the speakers during transition sequences. Not the most relevant in terms of story, but a good soundtrack is always welcome in my book to get my feet moving.
However, I agree with my reviewers there are some decisions made in this movie I felt detracted from the messages and story they wanted to tell. My limitation starts with the length of the film and the pace that did not support the length. Much of the film feels very drawn out, bloated sequences that did not need to be present, while other times it was a little too focused on pointing out the obvious. As I mentioned earlier, Queen and Slim requires the two main characters to be the focus of all the political writing in the movie. While they excel at this, the supporting characters are a little too much in the background for my tastes. Like connecting the dots, the farther the two travel the more diluted the characters become, leading to plain interactions with most, often to introduce a new angle and conversation topic to discuss. I'll admit I liked seeing the influence the two had, especially at the end, but I had hoped for a little more progression and pertinence than what we got. The truth is that this film really focuses on hitting all the political issues so hard that it sort of drives off from the story and leave the main characters in side scenes while the people they have talked to "evolve" so to speak. Most of these scenes were... okay, but a couple were so convoluted and unnecessary, that I only saw it as a more time extension than quality shot, again meant for a politically charged audience. Throw in much of the writing is again back to lots of cursing and insults to go with the stereotypical portrayals and well, you sort of drown the better writing in this representation. Overall, the main thing that this movie suffers from is the editing and trying to be too tastefully political in the sequences sort of diluted the incredible potential of the story.
Queen and Slim is a drama that has important messages for the world to see and think on, and does a decent job with not making them too aggressive. Yet, in terms of an entertaining story that has the full picture of suspense, discussion, and storytelling it still has areas of improvement to go. It's the editing and how much they wanted to include that I think got this film in trouble, and because of the side tangents and attempts to personify the problems in this character, the story got scattered. For those that want their political ideals represented and relate to the trials each character has, this movie is a theater visit, but for the rest of the audience, I feel the investment at a home watch is going to be key to maximizing your experience.
My scores are:
Drama: 7.0 Movie Overall: 5.5
What a surprise! Brilliant movie!!
jkt200626 July 2020
So well made a movie. Very engaging from the first frame till the end. Fantastic performances by both the protagonists and yes brilliant direction and script. Photography is marvellous too. All in all an Oscar deserving movie.
Black Lives Matter
Gordon-114 January 2021
Before watching this film, I did not fully understand what BLM is really about. After watching this, my whole body is repulsed by the social injustice, to the point that I got a headache and lost all my appetite. Now I truly understand why there is such a massive BLM movement, and I wholeheartedly support BLM.
The storyline was okay
ilovefoodcoma28 November 2019
A poetic black version of bonnie and Clyde
keji200713 April 2020
This movie is an Adaptation of the original bonnie and Clyde but this time with black characters shedding a poetic light on modern age police brutality and racism on black Americans and the rebellion that follows. Worth the watch.
Depressingly good
sergedalhuysen13 April 2020
Excellent must see movie!
ang06622 November 2019
Uneven film....
nyjazzman7 April 2020
From the opening incident that catapults Queen and Slim into an unevenly told story, to the final scene, I found quite a bit to admire about the movie. Some sections of the movie were wonderful, other scenes not so much. I would say if the way the story was told was more cohesive, and not so split off in parts, this could've been a great movie.
To me, it started out being a film about racial injustice, with a police officer acting in a horrific way, with an incident that I think we all recognize from many news stories that happen frequently. After the opening, the film becomes another movie about the relationship between two very different people, unexpectedly thrown together, and experience personal growth and love for one another.
It was good, but fell short of the mark. The acting was very good, so I can't fault their performance. I say watch the movie and appreciate the best parts.
To me, it started out being a film about racial injustice, with a police officer acting in a horrific way, with an incident that I think we all recognize from many news stories that happen frequently. After the opening, the film becomes another movie about the relationship between two very different people, unexpectedly thrown together, and experience personal growth and love for one another.
It was good, but fell short of the mark. The acting was very good, so I can't fault their performance. I say watch the movie and appreciate the best parts.
A farcical fugitive film.
BA_Harrison3 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
A Tinder date goes awry when Angela and Ernest (striking beauty Jodie Turner-Smith and Get Out's Daniel Kaluuya) are pulled over by a racist cop and wind up shooting him in self-defence. Realising they're in deep trouble, the couple go on the run, making a desperate bid for Florida, and then Cuba, before they are apprehended by the law.
African American drama Queen & Slim would have us all believe that the bond between black people is so strong that they will happily harbour fugitives from the law simply because they share the same skin colour (reward money be damned). Hell, even a black police officer is willing to risk his career to allow the armed-and-dangerous couple to slip away unnoticed, even though they're wanted for cop-killing. To be honest, it borders on the farcical at times. Still, no wonder Angela and Ernest (they're never actually called Queen and Slim in the film) blindly trust the decidedly dodgy looking guy with the gold teeth at the end; he's black as well, so based on previous experience he should be on the level too, right? Or maybe, just maybe, he's the exception that proves the rule.
The script for this black Thelma & Louise/Bonnie & Clyde fugitive flick is chock full of hard-to-swallow happenings, the couple making stops on their flight to freedom to partake in a burger, have a dance, ride a horse, visit a cemetery, make love, recklessly leap from a high window (as opposed to lowering themselves as far as possible and then letting go), hand their only firearm to a flaky looking gas station attendant, and lean out of the car window as they drive along (not the most inconspicuous behaviour for people on the lam!). Somehow they evade capture the whole way, even popping in at a service garage to have the radiator on their car fixed (luckily for them, the establishment is owned by yet another black man unwilling to inform the law).
As the couple continue their journey, they become folk heroes for the African American community, who rise up against police brutality and racism, which results in the film's most unlikely moment: a young black lad (the mechanic's son) joins a protest and shoots a black policeman in the face for absolutely no reason whatsoever. Still, it's no more perplexing than the many poor decisions made by Angela and Ernest, the last of which costs them their lives.
It might sound like I'm being unjustly harsh on this film, but I wanted to like Queen & Slim a lot more, I really did. It looks great and both lead actors put in solid performances, but the script requires much 'tightening up' for it to work, not least because, in it's present state, the film runs at a way-too-long 131 minutes.
4.5/10, rounded up to 5 for IMDb. It had bags of potential, but the flaws are many.
African American drama Queen & Slim would have us all believe that the bond between black people is so strong that they will happily harbour fugitives from the law simply because they share the same skin colour (reward money be damned). Hell, even a black police officer is willing to risk his career to allow the armed-and-dangerous couple to slip away unnoticed, even though they're wanted for cop-killing. To be honest, it borders on the farcical at times. Still, no wonder Angela and Ernest (they're never actually called Queen and Slim in the film) blindly trust the decidedly dodgy looking guy with the gold teeth at the end; he's black as well, so based on previous experience he should be on the level too, right? Or maybe, just maybe, he's the exception that proves the rule.
The script for this black Thelma & Louise/Bonnie & Clyde fugitive flick is chock full of hard-to-swallow happenings, the couple making stops on their flight to freedom to partake in a burger, have a dance, ride a horse, visit a cemetery, make love, recklessly leap from a high window (as opposed to lowering themselves as far as possible and then letting go), hand their only firearm to a flaky looking gas station attendant, and lean out of the car window as they drive along (not the most inconspicuous behaviour for people on the lam!). Somehow they evade capture the whole way, even popping in at a service garage to have the radiator on their car fixed (luckily for them, the establishment is owned by yet another black man unwilling to inform the law).
As the couple continue their journey, they become folk heroes for the African American community, who rise up against police brutality and racism, which results in the film's most unlikely moment: a young black lad (the mechanic's son) joins a protest and shoots a black policeman in the face for absolutely no reason whatsoever. Still, it's no more perplexing than the many poor decisions made by Angela and Ernest, the last of which costs them their lives.
It might sound like I'm being unjustly harsh on this film, but I wanted to like Queen & Slim a lot more, I really did. It looks great and both lead actors put in solid performances, but the script requires much 'tightening up' for it to work, not least because, in it's present state, the film runs at a way-too-long 131 minutes.
4.5/10, rounded up to 5 for IMDb. It had bags of potential, but the flaws are many.
Unrealistic
Draysan-Jennings21 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
The cop literally pulls his gun on Slim for no reason. I wouldn't suggest telling a cop to hurry up,
but that's definetly not a reason to pull your gun. If I was slim I would played it cool and just taken the ticket. Anytime you give a cop a hard time they make life harder on you. Anyways, while he has his gun drawn Queen reaches for her phone and gets shot. Why would you reach for your pockets while a gun is pointed at you? So stupid! Then she leaves the scene of the crime and goes on the run. She should of stayed there. She did absolutely nothing wrong. Just a bunch of bad decisions. The movie started to go downhill after that scene. Really slowed down and started to drag. The ending was terrible. Why did they stop when the cops were driving up to them on the runway? They could of ran to the plane and fled. Who in their right mind would of just stopped? And why didn't they get on the ground and surrender? It was like they wanted to die. That whole end scene was stupid AF and didn't make sense to me. This movie was almost pointless. I wouldn't recommend it .
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