If “Jason’s Lyric” was made in 2019, it would be “Queen and Slim” and that’s not necessarily a bad thing because 1) the need for films that can intermingle a love story with the harsh realities of our time is not going anywhere and 2) 14 year old me is still hoping the universe rewards him for going through the bad southern drawls and completely unnecessary shots of Allen Payne’s butt in the 1994 favorite. Like Jason’s Lyric, Queen and Slim is the story of two people who come together and fall in love as they evade the societal pitfalls that threatens their lives. While “Jason’s Lyric” has its star-crossed lovers running from the hood trying to take them under, “Queen and Slim” updates that narrative by having its lovers run for their lives after the ride home from their Tinder date is interrupted by an unfortunate but all too real encounter with a trigger-happy police officer.
Actingwise, “Queen and Slim” fares well and that begins with Daniel Kaluuya giving us another grade A performance. In this film Kaluuya gives us a lighter and more vulnerable side not seen from him since Johnny English Reborn and it shines brightest when Slim is doing his best win over a clearly uninterested Queen during the aforementioned Tinder date and in his efforts to bring calm throughout their run. Jodie Turner-Smith’s performance as Queen was not spectacular, but it was far from bad. There are moments when it’s obvious this was Turner-Smith’s first starring film role, such as the scene when Queen explains the root of her issues with her Uncle Earl (solidly played by Bokeem Woodbine, another nudge to “Jason’s Lyric”). Those scenes required Turner-Smith to go beyond Queen’s self-controlled demeanor and she struggled to do so throughout the film. However, the chemistry between Kaluuya and Turner-Smith is undeniable despite that flaw and it reminds you of the Allen Payne-Jada Pinkett connection we saw in 1994.
Melina Matsoukas, in her feature film directorial debut, did not disappoint. Similar to what she’s done in her music videos for Beyoncé (“Formation) and Rihanna (“We Found Love”), Matsoukas gives us a visually stunning product, especially considering the budget for the film was only $20 million. This particularly evident in the landscape shots Matsoukas gives us throughout Queen and Slim’s run. The only flaw Matsoukas’s direction suffers is the pacing of the film. At times, the film gets so lost in the love story aspect of Queen and Slim’s journey that the equally important fact they’re on the run is overshadowed. It doesn’t kill the film but it definitely holds it back from its full potential.
Lena Waithe’s script takes the same combination of comedic, heartwarming, and gut punching moments that keeps us coming back to her Showtime series, “The Chi”, every week and brings it to “Queen and Slim”. However, things go left with the social commentary aspect of the film. While Waithe does a good job of handling the treatment of unarmed, non-threatening people of color by overzealous white police officers and touching on both sides of the aftermath, she unnecessarily goes over the top to address it at a later point in the film. Additionally, the script seemed intent on addressing every discussion Black Twitter and Grad School Facebook had over the last year. The ambition to address these issues is admirable, but attempting to address so many of them at one time is definitely felt when it’s more like a distraction than something to advance the plot.
“Queen and Slim” is far from a perfect movie due largely to being overambitious. It bites off more than it can chew and goes well over the top at times. However, the film’s intertwining of a love story with social commentary is not in vain and makes for a pretty good watch thanks largely to a charming performance from Kaluuya and a solid debut from Matsoukas.
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