Netflix’s Malcolm and Marie – A Brilliant Quarantine Drama (Early Review)

Malcolm and Marie is the third feature length film from Sam Levinson, son of prolific filmmaker Barry Levinson (Rain Man, Bugsy, Good Morning Vietnam). Sam made it clear early on that he intended on paving his own legacy and developing his own unique style. Despite being fairly early into his career, Sam has already become a prolific filmmaker in his own right, largely due in part to his contributions to the controversial, but extremely popular HBO coming-of-age series Euphoria. Love it or hate it, Euphoria has become an inescapable phenomenon that has connected with many teens & young adults. Its gritty and unfiltered depiction of sex, addiction and mental health issues, as well as Levinson’s dream-like visual style, have become highly influential, with many fellow filmmakers and showrunners attempting to replicate its success. 

After that series’ success thus far, Levinson’s focus was primarily on filming the second season of Euphoria. However, the pandemic gave him the opportunity to return to filmmaking once again. Almost immediately after the world went into lockdown, Sam decided to use the time to write a screenplay that he would eventually film under confined circumstances. Re-teaming with Euphoria star Zendaya and recruiting rising a-lister John David Washington, the three would set out to create the very first film in the COVID-era, a concept that many filmmakers jumped on as soon as this project was announced. Malcolm and Marie stars Washington and Zendaya as the titular couple; a filmmaker and his girlfriend, who return home and await the critical response of his latest film. What begins as a celebratory night takes a sharp turn as the couple gets into a brutal argument that reveals secrets about both of their pasts and tests the strength of their relationship.

While the film does not reference COVID or is tied to the current pandemic in any way, Malcolm and Marie evokes a sense of claustrophobia that we have all inevitably felt throughout this past year. It presents the idea of being stuck in one location with a significant other under heightened circumstances, and being forced to hash out detrimental relationship problems that may have not been addressed otherwise. Levinson has shown a knack for exploring toxic situations in an unbiased fashion throughout his work, and he once again demonstrates that ability by showing the ups and downs of a relationship that a lesser filmmaker would portray in an exclusively negative light. While the film does centre around a toxic relationship, it is also unabashedly romantic and hopeful in many ways. The film is a multi-faceted roller-coaster of emotions that leaves the audience with a lot to process and interrupt. 

Despite limited resources and a minuscule budget, Malcolm and Marie is a stunning film from a visual perspective. Shot in crisp black & white on 35mm, Levinson and DP Marcell Rév use innovative cinematography techniques to utilize every inch of the confined space that they have to work with. One-location films can often feel static and visually uninteresting, but the film is always captivating to look at. The camera roams throughout hallways, rotates outside of the beautiful house the film takes place in and lingers outside windows, giving the film a unique visual flair. The film matches its rhythmic cinematography with a fantastic and diverse soundtrack, as well as a sensual and classy jazz-based score composed by the immensely talented musician Labrinth.

While Levinson’s direction is certainly impressive, Zendaya and Washington’s career-defining performances are certainly the film’s greatest assets. Both performers have impeccable chemistry and deliver raw and emotionally versatile performances that are completely captivating. Washington is explosive as Malcolm in a way we have never seen from him before, while Zendaya brings a certain vulnerability to her performance as Marie that absolutely warrants an Oscar nomination, if not a win. 

The one aspect of Malcolm and Marie that holds it back from being a flawless film is Levinson’s screenplay. While the script captures a spontaneity that would arise from a heated argument of this degree, some of the dialogue is almost too heightened and takes away from the authenticity that both stars bring to their respective roles. Levinson’s self-reflection of his neuroses as an artist and his exploration of how one’s passion can consume a relationship is certainly fascinating, but his frequent shots at film criticism as a profession feel unearned and somewhat self-indulgent.

In the end, Malcolm and Marie is a raw, challenging and deeply human film that may have started out as merely an experiment during the first phase of the lockdown, but it turned out to be one of the best films the year has to offer. 

still courtesy of Netflix

Follow my blog on Instagram @moviereviews100!

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook.

Tristan French