One of the big questions in “Malcolm & Marie,” an attractively photographed shouting match written and directed by Sam Levinson, is whether or not we can divine a filmmaker’s motives from their work. For nearly two hours he grants us a ringside seat to an epic lovers’ quarrel between Malcolm (John David Washington) and Marie (Zendaya), who have just returned home after the premiere of Malcolm’s new movie. The easy answer would be Malcolm, introduced basking in the afterglow of a warm reception for his latest feature. Isn’t it just as fair to wonder if Marie, pushing back against Malcolm at almost every turn, might speak for him as well? At one point he tells Marie, “None of this s— is necessary.” The L.A. Times critic agrees.

Source: Los Angeles Times January 22, 2021 15:03 UTC