Queen and Slim

2020, 1080hd

Johnny's comments:

Queen & Slim is a drama mixed with road movie where lawyer Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith) goes on a Tinder date with Slim (Daniel Kaluuya) and after a pedestrian meal, they head off home. After a minor incident in the car, a police officer following them pulls them over, but things escalate quickly due to the an overzealous police officer and results in Queen being shot in the leg and in a scuffle, Slim shoots dead the officer. They go on the run but are completely unprepared, running only on adrenalin, so much so that they run out of petrol. A man (Benito Martinez) pulls over to help get them to the next petrol station but he turns out to be a local sheriff, so they lock him in their boot and take his car and drive to Queen's uncle's (Bokeem Woodbine) house in New Orleans. Her uncle, a pimp, reluctantly helps her but they have to leave quickly when the police start sniffing around. He sets it up for Queen and Slim to go to Florida and meet up with a husband and wife (Flea and Chloë Sevigny) he knows who will get them to Cuba. Along the way, they try to bond and enjoy the ride although their car breaks down and they spend an afternoon with the mechanic's son Junior (Jahi Di'Allo Winston), which inspires him to murder a cop at the protest for Queen and Slim the following day. After getting to Florida, the police close in but a plane is ready to go. Can they get away or will the police hunt them down?

Queen & Slim starts off as an incendiary story based on recent incidents but becomes less interested in the politics the longer it goes and probably to its detriment. Mainly because it turns into just another running from the law movie and ends up being riddled with contrivances and implausibilities so that the movie reaches its logical conclusion. There is some fiery stuff throughout like the suggestion the cop had already killed a black person in a previous incident and Junior murdering a black cop but even that is underexplored to focus on Queen and Slim. Sadly, I don't think this movie will take its place amongst the great politically charged movies which is a shame as the opening 30 minutes sets up the potential to be memorable.

Melanie Halfkenny film clip (sample below)

Jodie Turner-Smith film clip (collages below)

Indya Moore film clip (sample below)

Ivan

2019

Annalise Phillips film clip (sample below)