Malcolm and Marie Movie Review: The Fine Line Between Love and Hate

Malcolm & Marie is a Netflix movie starring Zendaya and John David Washington that is a rollercoaster ride of emotional dialogue. After coming home from a movie premiere, Malcolm and Marie have some very heated conversations about topics that deeply explore their relationship to each other, to their work, and to their shared life. I think it was an absolutely amazing showcase of acting ability for Zendaya and Washington, because as the only characters in this black-and-white film, they pivot from scene to scene with absolute ease. The movie is dark, sexy, and a bit overwhelming at times. But overall, I was really captivated with the story from the first couple of scenes and was interested to see where it would lead. I was also hooked in from watching the trailer, because I think this movie is ultimately an exploration of love. Watching Malcolm and Marie lay all their cards on the table while discussing serious topics about life was both inspiring and terrifying.

I think that Malcolm & Marie is a very dramatized, but also real, exploration of how difficult it is to truly understand a partner and how much work you need to put in to make a relationship work. There were some lines in the film that really struck me, especially the one about how when you know there is someone there who loves you, you often start to take them for granted. While there were definitely relatable moments in this movie, it was also overwhelming and troubling at times. I remember vividly one long scene where Malcolm is yelling at the top of his lungs and pacing back and forth from the living room to the patio, critiquing the film industry. I felt like a lot of his words went over my head and I wish I had a deeper understanding of film to really digest his arguments. But at the same time, the intent of the rant was probably more so to illustrate his eccentricity and wild personality, rather than to enlighten the audience on a certain topic. Scenes like this one felt like a lot to handle, and there were definitely other long strings of dialogue in this movie that felt heavy with hidden meaning.

This movie will also makes you feel a lot of things. While one moment may show Malcolm and Marie overcome with love and emotion for one other, the next moment may show a complete shift in the mood, from passion to fury. A sentence or a sudden hint of sadness may trigger a round of hurtful back-and-forth arguments. I was at the edge of my seat watching how the dynamic between Malcolm and Marie would shift from scene to scene. There was even one scene where I got worried this was about to turn into a horror movie. I was extremely impressed with watching how versatile the acting was and how the composition of each scene seemed to highlight the closeness or separation between the characters.

In conclusion…

I think Malcolm and Marie is one of those films that looks and feels very artsy, but is still very digestible and relatable to the every day viewer. At times, the conversation definitely veers into territory that is very nuanced. But ultimately, the film is a thought-provoking piece showcasing the ups and downs of a very complicated relationship between a man and a woman.