Netflix has released the first trailer for upcoming romantic drama, Malcolm & Marie. Directed by Sam Levinson (Euphoria), the film stars John David Washington and Zendaya as a couple in the aftermath of a film premiere. As they wait for the critical response, the couple end up duelling with each other as revelations about their relationship surface and their bond is tested.
The film looks very performative, almost like a play, with may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it also has terrific monochromatic cinematography, and Zendaya and Washington are two great actors who have burst onto the scene in recent years. Seeing them psychologically face off for a couple of hours should be captivating.
It will also be interesting to see how the movie handles film criticism. Levinson created the HBO series Euphoria, which has consistently received acclaim. But his last film, Assassination Nation, was inventive but divisive, so maybe the critical reaction to that fuelled his decision to set his follow-up in the aftermath of a crucial film screening.
We’ll see whether he has anything interesting to say about the process of consuming and reviewing cinema.
Netflix obviously has high hopes for the film, as they’re dropping it right in the middle of awards season. The film hits the streaming platform on Friday, February 5th, and with the Oscars cut off not until the end of February, that gives Zendaya and Washington a chance to be right in the thick of the race for the prestigious gold statue.
#Peace.Love.MalcolmxMarie
