At a time where many relationships are undergoing lockdown-related rough patches, few films feel as of the moment as Malcolm & Marie. Conceived during the pandemic by Euphoria creator Sam Levinson with his lead star Zendaya, it is an intimate and sometimes downright uncomfortable look at a tumultuous relationship. Entirely set within one apartment, it lives on the back of its strong writing and performances, but never manages to bring together its ideas in a satisfying way.
The focus is on Malcolm (John David Washington), an up-and-coming filmmaker, and girlfriend Marie (Zendaya), a model recovering from a drug addiction. There isn’t much in the way of plot, but the film plays out as an extended argument on the night of Malcolm’s big film premiere. Hidden tensions come to the surface, cruel things are said, and macaroni and cheese is furiously eaten in between insults.
For the most part, writer-director Levinson pulls off quite a difficult concept. Like with the Before Trilogy, the flowing conversation between Malcolm and Marie is sharp, scathing, and sometimes hilarious. The black and white format also lends the film an interesting dimension, giving it the quality of a personal, nostalgic home video.
With only two actors for the full running time, the film lives or dies with its performances, and this benefits from featuring two of the most engaging actors in cinema at the moment. Washington is brilliant as the animated, exasperated Malcolm, so passionate about his craft that his girlfriend often comes second place. Zendaya meanwhile, is equally excellent as the long-suffering Marie, building on her Euphoria persona with another convincing portrayal of addiction and guilt.
The conversation covers a lot of ground, from a dispute about the real inspiration of Malcolm’s film (which seems to be based on Marie’s life), to a back-and-forth blame game about the source of Marie’s addiction. Yet, from the moment that Malcolm launches into a rant against pretentious film critics, it feels like the film is trying to tackle too much, and the dialogue becomes less natural and more stage-like. While it replicates the messy and cyclical nature of relationships, the film’s focus starts to suffer as a result. This means that, while engaging and at times insightful, this never quite has the impact it should.
Though it runs out of steam in the final stretch, Malcolm & Marie is a clever and well-observed look at a relationship in turmoil, tied together by brilliant performances from Washington and Zendaya.
