Queen and Slim – Film Threat

If it aint the black Bonnie and Clyde! exclaims Uncle Earl, Bokeem Woodbines character in Queen & Slim, upon seeing its two hapless heroes. I can almost hear a studio executive joyfully uttering the same sentiment upon finishing Lena Waithes screenplay. That line does, indeed, pretty much summarize Melina Matsoukas by turns powerful, overwrought, poetic, earnest, and pretentious debut feature.

If I were to point out one crucial difference, it would be the deliberate, delectable nihilism of Arthur Penns classic, his anti-heroes as easy to root for as they are irredeemable. In that sense, Queen & Slim more closely resembles the other classic outlaws-on-the-run, Ridley Scotts Thelma and Louise. Substitute the feminist motifs with relevant current themes of race, police corruption, and prejudice, and youll have a clear sense of what to expect.

A tense confrontation swiftly establishes Slim as a black man who killed a cop and took his gun

Like the two aforementioned films, at its heart, Queen & Slim is a love story. It begins in Cleveland, Ohio, on an atmospheric, rainy night (kudos to cinematographer Tat Radcliffe for the films old-school, grainy look). Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith) is a lawyer whos had a bad day. She meets Slim (Daniel Kaluuya) on Tinder. You have this sad look, she tells him over a cheap diner meal. I felt sorry for you. On the way home, Slims flirting causes him to swerve a little. A white cop pulls them over. A tense confrontation swiftly establishes Slim as a black man who killed a cop and took his gun. The two become outlaws/national celebrities.

Numerous (mis)adventures follow. Our heroes run out of gas, which leads to a nerve-wracking detour with an off-duty sheriff (Benito Martinez). In New Orleans, Queens pimp uncle Earl (Woodbine, in a memorable extended cameo) hooks them up with money, haircuts, a car and a potential flight over the water, and out of the country. Ill leave it up to you to find out whether the couple makes it across the border.

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Queen and Slim - Film Threat