It’s 12:41 am and I’m sprawled across my living room sofa, half-way disoriented from a cinematic journey I wasn’t quite prepared for. I've beheld Queen & Slim and I have words... I have thoughts... and I have feelings. This is my attempt to share all of them without spoiling the experience for others, as it’s hard to conceive of any other action after viewing such a timely work of art.
Some may remember how I candidly detailed my growing frustration with Hollywood’s all-out attack on the African-American male; so with Queen & Slim, I did my best to maintain zero expectations. Immediately, from the title alone I felt a tinge of distinction between the two characters both positionally and authoritatively, but I fought getting lost in the sauce of my own semantic sensitivity for the greater good.
Fortunately, even without the desire to give Queen & Slim a blank slate, the film’s intentionality in addressing tired f-boy stereotypes while presenting a patient, thoughtful, and moral alternative was deeply moving. In fact, it was the supporting cast’s ironic response to these stand up men that made me wince, as the unapologetic storytelling truthfully portrayed why these men are so few and far between... and the ultimate cost of being an outlier like them.
The layers of each protagonist were so beautifully acted, as their growth delicately unfolded and progressed before our eyes. It didn’t feel rushed, although circumstances clearly forced it. It didn’t feel unbelievable, although they were clearly doing the unthinkable. Lena Waithe painstaking peeled back black misnomers so that the audience could comprehend how true self-preservation can come from dedicated collaboration. Melina Matsoukas took it a step further, revealing how the oneness of vulnerability, courage and burden sharing can emerge when the superficial toxicity plaguing contemporary relationships is removed (shoutout Tinder).
What I thought was going to be the chronicles of a desperate dependency, turned out to be a tale of powerful convictions that persist long after credits cease. Even in its blackity, black, blackest, moments Queen & Slim double dared to illustrate the spirit of a heartbroken community through two individuals who decided to move forward... together. As I watched the cinematography, my thoughts couldn’t help but drift to those who were digesting it with me.
*Sidenote - Do yourself a favor and refrain from watching this film with the culturally and intellectually unconscious; the concepts are so deep there will undoubtedly be spillover. Profound loneliness is just one of the many complex themes this film touches on, so I also wouldn’t recommend wading through it by yourself.
There were at least two instances where I definitely felt an inexplicably cold breeze engulf the theater in an attempt to harass my tear ducts. Though no moisture ended up escaping, it really wouldn’t have been a thing because some of the dopest people alive made our row a safe space to grapple with aggressive emotions... and that is/was very important. Yes, there was tremendous incentive to let the eyes get glassy, but why did I choose to let the song cry instead?
The answer is simple. I knew what was going to happen.
Certain black people have developed a certain intuition for certain movies, but if you don’t have a certain gift, Queen & Slim delivers several gratuitously loud coughs to foreshadow where things are going. With this information, one naturally begins to prime themselves for what they know is coming as they wait to see how it transpires. This is pretty boring in most cases, but it actually makes Queen & Slim that much better. Despite all of that mental preparation, how everything unfolds is so visceral ... so heavy... so symbolic, that the impact is as if you had no clue what hit you.
There are many takeaways from Queen & Slim, but regardless of any racial, gender, political, societal, or generational commentary that you glean from it, I think we all can rest on the fact that it is pure, cinematic excellence. Such high-level art not only inspires but elevates. The word immortal is mentioned as the plot begins to climax, and I cannot think of a better word to describe how Queen & Slim will live on in the hearts of viewers and movies alike.
