Queen & Slim — childish

Queen & Slim, directed by Melina Matsoukas (known for Insecure, Beyoncé’s Formation and Master of None) and screenplay written by the amazingly talented Lena Waithe. This story follows Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith) and Slim (Daniel Kaluuya) and the love that develops between them through the roughest circumstances.

**SPOILERS**
Has a Tinder date ever ended in a six day race for your life? Probably not. But for Queen & Slim this becomes their life. All from a “simple” pull over from police. How does this happen from supposedly missing a turn signal? Well, let’s keep it real. Most police are racist as fuck. Black people have to shift personalities when it comes to police and any type of authority for that matter. A simple remark such as, “Can you hurry up, it’s cold” could have you killed. We are constantly put in situations where our lives can be in danger.

For Queen & Slim it was shoot or be killed. Within these six days, they are on the run for their lives. Two people who know nothing about each other soon find out, they are all they have left. Queen, an intelligent yet cold attorney and Slim, a God fearing full hearted family man learn not just about each other but themselves. Their vulnerability wraps around them fiercely. Trauma will soon keep them. A love begins to form, and not just any love, Black Love.

Not only was the cast amazing, including Bokeem Woodbine aka Uncle Earl (Snowfall, Underground & Wu-Tang American Saga) Indya Moore aka Goddess (POSE) and Anahi Di’allo Winston aka Junior (Everything Sucks, Proud Mary & The Dead Don’t Die) but the cinematography was breathtaking. The scenery shots of New Orleans, capturing Black beauty at old town bars, the stills of all the actors. Matsoukas did an extraordinary job with the visuals. It all comes together beautifully, even down to the last scene. Even if that scene was of the loss. We will never forget them.

I’m going to go ahead a say it, this is the best movie I’ve seen this year. Maybe my whole life. I mean, it’s definitely not a movie I could watch over and over. But it’s the type of movie that will stay with me forever. I’m pretty sure that’s the goal. To make you think, to feel emotion. As a Black women the premise of this movie was already close to home but I needed to see this film. EVERYONE NEEDS TO SEE THIS FILM.

I saw it thanksgiving night with my family. That night, driving home at 2 in the morning, I started to get paranoid. Checking my mirror, making sure I was driving the speed limit. I couldn’t stop thinking about this movie and the consequences Black people have to constantly face. They said the actors had watched the Sandra Bland (RIP) video to prepare. I didn’t sleep that night. How could I? I was filled with frustration and anger. A part of me wanted to believe they would survive. But the sad truth was that I knew better. Black people don’t get to survive. Not in these movies. I’m learning that even though I want to live, I want US to live, some have to be immortal in order to tell our stories. This is to Queen & Slim. Fictional characters who I see my relflection in, characters that represent all the names we know and don’t know. ✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾