"Malcolm & Marie": The Triggering Kissing-and-Dissing Night | Movie Review

You'll either love it or hate it. The latest Netflix original movies, Malcolm and Marie, has released several days ago. Malcolm and Marie were played by John David Washington and Zendaya, respectively. The movie only have these 2 casts, the most promising names---especially Zendaya, in the acting game these years. Judging on these names only, and the beautifully-shot trailer, I hit the Remind Me button as fast as I could, by the time it was still Coming Soon.

Later on, I watched it, and man do I feel confused. Part of me said that this was kinda disappointing, yet on the other part clapped so hard, especially for the performance. I chose to be sided with the second part of my thought, because I think this movie is just not for everyone, maybe not even for me, but the dialogues captivated all of the turbulence and roller-coaster of emotions just in the 1:48 hours of screenplay. It was not the best movie, but it's brilliant in it's own way.

Malcolm and Marie is a slow-paced movie. The story opened by the couple just arrived at home after the premiere of Malcolm's latest movie. Malcolm was delighted, even feel a little bit too over-proud. He was very excited, danced around and sang while Marie seemed tired, peeved, and just not interested. Marie cooked Mac and Cheese for Malcolm while he's still enjoying his successful night. Later on we learned that Marie was disappointed because Malcolm forgot to say "thank you" to Marie in his speech, for the successfully-premiered movie that solely based on her life. After the revelation happened, the turmoil of long, mentally shattering debate happened.

The concept of the movie is unique, not only it was shot during the physical distancing regulation of the pandemic last year, but also this movie have this simple concept---a quarrel between a couple that starts with a mistake but then revealed the whole red flags of their relationships this whole time. The social commentaries on this movie were slapping yet witty at the same time. As an art house film, they use Black and White effect which at first I thought it showed the period of the movie, maybe around 50s---60s something, yet the conversation mention some slangs that revealed that it might be happened last year, at least pre-pandemic.

Back to the long-exhausting quarrel. Rather than feeling truly sorry and made Marie feel at least better, Malcolm shouted and disgraced Marie to the shocking level, shouted, while eating a bowl of Mac and Cheese that Marie made for him. I literally gasped, and later on I realized, it was only the beginning.

From the conversation, we found out some key information about Marie was a drug-addict and got clean after the rehab, she was also an actress but have quit on acting, and the main character of Malcolm's movie, named Imani, had some characteristics and background story that was inspired by Marie, yet the role was played by an actress called Taylor, instead of Marie herself. Malcolm, again---not being sorry, started to spit every single harsh line that might've killed people. Really, I was scared that Marie might've took her own life that night. But she was strong and became stronger after, she finally won the 'battle' on the last 13 minutes of the movie. It might seemed started by how Malcolm forgot to say thank you, but the meaning was more than that. It was about how Malcolm took Marie for granted, how he saw Marie in their relationship, how he neglected the needs of being a better partner, a more understanding lover, and less egoistical as a human. The dialogues are powerful and slapped, not only for Malcolm and Marie, but for us---the viewer who've watched it.

You don't have to be in toxic relationships or had to experienced it to get the substance of what Marie and Malcolm (mostly Marie) said. It's about us, as social creatures, value another human being.

How many times you've heard about Three Magic Words Rule: Please, Thank You and Sorry? Those three words may seems very basic but trust me, not everyone practice the preach. How many times you say Thank You to your loved ones? How many times you said Sorry with actually means it deeply? How many time you say Please before you ask for somebody's favor?

Marie had opened Malcolm's (and probably some of us') eyes to being thankful and treat our loved ones dearly before we lose them. Sometimes, a simple Thank You is what we need. It's not because someone ask for validation or credits, it's because a simple Thank You could've mean a world to someone, to feel appreciated, to feel needed, to feel loved, to feel blessed to be with.

Some critics said (or wrote) that the movie was boring and waste of time, some even said that these actor/actress had no chemistry on screen. For me, it showed a real, raw depiction of how two people in love who might've been live together, kissing and dissing, said I love you and F--- you within different hours, could appreciate their loved ones and how far they could save the relationship when the disappointment took over the love. It's similar to Marriage Story, with less tears and a simpler setting.

I personally appreciate the movie. It was indeed a slow-paced movie, sometimes put us on our nerves, it was unsettling and depressive, yet has a lot of memorable---great punching lines. Zendaya is a truly great actress and John D. Washington is definitely not disappointing. But will I ever watch it again? No. I don't think I want to, nor watch it with my significant other. It's a depressing experience, with some bold lines stick inside your brain for some moments ahead, but it surely will took your energy to absorb everything that just happened on your screen.

(Originally posted on my Medium, February 7th 2021).