Rent Queen and Slim (2019)

Relevant and thrilling - Queen and Slim review by JB

I'm writing this a few weeks after the death of George Floyd and the reignition of the BLM movement; something that becomes increasingly relevant throughout this deeply affecting and horribly watchable movie that takes a cue from Bonnie and Clyde but is ultimately unique and utterly, sadly, modern. If this movie came out just a few months later, it would have, I'm sure, received the attention it deserved.

Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith) and Slim (Daniel Kaluuya) have a first date never to forget, after they get stopped by a police officer on the way back from the diner. Due to a series of misunderstandings, triggered by the officer's racist hostility, Queen and Slim flee from the scene after shooting the officer dead with his own gun. The chase between the law and the almost-couple is on, with the pair becoming outlaw heroes. But do they want to be?

Writer Lena Waithe combines thriller, romance and social commentary equally and consistently throughout and it's delivered with urgency by director Melina Matsoukas. The performance by Daniel Kaluuya is right on the money. Has he got the most expressive eyes in contemporary cinema? Probably, right? Lesser known (for now), but also excellent is Jodie Turner Smith. She has a piercing intelligence that grounds the movie and brings out the pain and anger in the script.

It's a real journey of a movie that ends in a situation that shouldn't really ever happen. Racism will, I hope, one day die. But Queen and Slim - the movie and the spirit of the characters - will live forever.

An outstanding feature film long overdue in the making - Queen and Slim review by ST

This is a compelling and prescient drama with a lot to say. Brutal & tense, lyrical, passionate, witty and playful by turns, it hits home to head and heart. A four day road trip from Ohio to the Gulf which you know is not going to end well, this story is as compelling and complex as a Shakespearean tragedy and worth it for the necessary catharsis it generates. At long long last the mainstream is making way for BAME voices and the wealth of talent both in front and behind the camera is self evident in this ground breaking movie. If it had been released this year, in the wake of the George Floyd killing in Minnneapolis, 'Queen & Slim' would surely have been a serious contender for a handful of Oscars.

Opportunity lost - Queen and Slim review by CS

It is understandable that this excellently cast and well-acted film should receive a lot of attention in the wake of the BLM movement but its important subject matter should not disguise the benefits that would have been gained by shortening its length and tightening up the narrative development. There are too many detours and the tension is allowed to dissipate accordingly too frequently in the run up to the dramatic ending. High expectations, but disappointing.