Like, I understand people are angry that Sam Levinson’s ego is so fragile but isn’t every artist’s?

I don’t know where I stand in the identity politics discussion and Levinson projecting his own insecurities about writing for Black characters onto this film. I don’t know if I even need to form an opinion on that issue, or can just accept it doesn’t really have an answer.

All I really do know is that this film, and Zendaya particularly, made me feel everything. And as much as I like formulating an educated opinion, I can’t help but feel frustrated that time and time again people who just seem to hate everything that is popular out of spite ruin those experiences for me. I understand the issues people have raised against this film, it’s normal to instantly feel defensive when a piece is this critical over critic itself. I also know I am only now taking my baby steps in film studies, but if I don’t trust the very initial feeling a movie awakens in me on the first watch, then what exactly can I trust to form my opinions? Everyone else’s opinions?

Malcolm & Marie is an incessant fencing match between two incredible actors, with tantalising chemistry, with blocks of monologues that almost seem written for the theatre, but were uniquely elevated by the cinematic medium’s particularities. Take away everything you know about the director, look at the film just for itself, and if you still hate it, that’s fine, but I thought it was brilliant, and I hadn’t been as moved by a performance as I was by Zendaya in this for some time.





P.S.: honestly the only criticism i legitimately will not accept about this movie is how toxic the relationship is and how annoying the characters are... why do you want to see stories about happy relationships and stable people? isn’t the whole point of writing a story that there has to be a dramatic premise to drive it? what’s dramatic about two people who never argue and are happily together?