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It doesn’t take much for a normal, everyday situation to turn into something significant. One thoughtless word, one moment of inattention, can change a day, a relationship, even a life. And Queen & Slim takes a look at one moment that changes everything for two people who are thrown together by tragedy.
Queen & Slim goes on the run with a couple whose first meeting ends in disaster. During their first date, it’s clear that things aren’t going well. He (Daniel Kaluuya) is sweet and innocent. She (Jodie Turner-Smith) is tough and argumentative. As he’s driving her home, he’s pulled over for a small mistake. The officer (Sturgill Simpson) is harsh and demanding, and when he pulls out his gun, things quickly spiral out of control. She’s wounded, and the officer ends up dead—and the two are forced to run for their lives.
And, just like that, everything changes for these two characters—and then for people around the country. As they race off in a panic, arguing about what to do and where to go next, the video of the incident goes viral. Everyone they meet has an opinion of them and of their actions. Some see them as justified—and they treat the two fugitives with kindness. Some see them as criminals. Others see them as heroic figures—a couple of people who consciously stood up to police brutality. All they really want is to escape to freedom—to continue to go on living their lives in peace—but, in the process, they become famous. People organize rallies and protests in support of these unwitting activists.
Of course, the characters and their actions are definitely controversial—and each viewer will have a different perspective on it. Some people will see only the racist cop and the glorification of two cop killers and will write it off without a second thought. But that’s just scratching the surface of the story. There’s so much more at play here—so many different characters and different points of view. It’s a film about fear and injustice, about divisions that shouldn’t exist (and that some people refuse to believe still exist), and about how things can easily spiral completely out of control.
Eventually, though, it just goes on too long. While the story is definitely suspenseful—and the journey filled with obstacles and setbacks—after a while, it’s too much. The story starts to feel repetitive—one close call after another—and the pain and divisions become overwhelming. And, unfortunately, this tense and thought-provoking film may lose some of the audience in the end.
Despite its flaws, though, Queen & Slim is a memorable drama. It’s political, yes. But it’s also gritty and complicated. It’s music, it’s connections, it’s humanity. And the characters and storylines and messages will trouble you and challenge you long after you leave the theater.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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