Queen & Slim tells a poignant story of love surrounded by hate. With some brilliant writing, directing and acting, this film will be sure to surprise you.
“On a first date, a black man and woman are stopped by a policeman over a minor traffic infraction. As the situation spirals, the man kills the officer in self-defense, forcing the two to go on the run. As they drive, these two unlikely fugitives discover themselves in the more dire of circumstances, forcing a powerful love that reveals their shared humanity and shapes the rest of their lives.”
Queen & Slim opens in a diner where two people are having their first date. Slim, a morally just, family-oriented religious-type, and Queen, an attorney who is more or less closed off from the rest of the world, usually content in her solitude. The two could not be any more different, and normally the date would end with the two going their separate ways. However, as Slim drives Queen back to her home, he’s pulled over by a police officer who immediately racially profiles them and believes they are driving under the influence. Things escalate quickly as the police officer pulls his gun and shoots Queen, with Slim wrestling away the gun and killing him in self-defense. Knowing the unfair treatment they are likely to receive Queen makes the decision to make a run for it, with this unlikely pair now forced to work together in order to survive.
When I first saw the trailers for Queen & Slim, I wasn’t very interested, as the trailer, on the surface, made the film out to be a modern-day Bonnie & Clyde while expressing racial tensions between police officers and African Americans. What I didn’t expect is just how deep the film goes in showing both sides of this terrible issue, all the while creating one of the most real and meaningful love stories I’ve seen in quite a long time. Director Melina Matsoukas has crafted, in my opinion, a masterpiece surrounding one of the hot topics of our society. While Queen and Slim are on the run, they see the extremes of both sides, how they are portrayed on the media as cop-killers, and how other African Americans glorify what they’ve done, seeing it as revenge for everything the cops have ever done. Instead of leaning into one of the extremes, Matsoukas shows it for what it truly is, a tragedy all around, and the dangers glorifying their actions can bring, as shown when a young man who looks up to the pair, follows their example. As much as I enjoyed her storytelling abilities, she also knows how to build tension extremely well, as the opening title sequence after the tragic event takes place can attest to.
Legacy is a big theme throughout the film, as the story explores how each one of us goes about leaving ours, and the meanings you should take from said legacy. At the beginning of the film, Slim balks at the idea of having his picture taken. When Queen responds by saying that pictures are proof of your existence, he responds by saying that the memory of your family is all the proof he needs. Their legacy turns into something quite different by the end of the film through this poignant journey in which you don’t even learn their names until the end, something that I didn’t even catch as I was just so caught up in the characters themselves.
The relationship between both Queen and Slim evolve in such a unique way by the end of the story. Both of them switch roles in a way, with Slim gaining the confidence through this journey, and Queen learning to let her guard down and begin to feel what it is like to be alive with another person. It’s beautiful to see how each one adopts the best traits of the other, developing a true love that can’t be broken. In terms of the journey to how they end up there: that evolution seems gradual at first, as they don’t appear to have much in common and are constantly arguing over everything, but it builds and builds in such an organic way that you can really feel that these characters have fallen in love right in front of you. It’s a product of fantastic writing and even greater acting by everyone involved.
Needless to say, going in, not knowing what to expect, I was absolutely blown away how much I loved this film and how much I was moved by everything about it. It’s poignant message about discrimination and most importantly how we respond to that discrimination as human beings makes this a smart film on its own, but the fact that Queen and Sim can find such beauty in each other while having their entire lives turned upside down gives a glimmer of hope for our society if we can stop the hate. Their love story brings a heartwarming quality to the film that is hard to do.
Video
Queen & Slim is presented in 2160p 4k Ultra High Definition Widescreen 2.39:1. This transfer looks exceptional, with the HDR providing the brilliant brights and, in the case of the first half of this film, very detailed and deep darks. The night sequences are extremely detailed and look incredible, contrasting with the daytime shots which are equally as impressive. The cinematography will definitely catch your eye with some very unique tracking shots that really enhance the viewing experience.
The Blu-Ray disc in presented in 1080p High Definition Widescreen 2.39:1.
Audio
The audio is presented in Dolby Atmos. This track has a great balance between the surrounds and center channel, providing clear and concise dialogue with some great utilization of the surrounds for atmospheric effects, gunfire, etc. Though this isn’t going to carry the same kind of impact as a straight action film would, the Atmos track really does sound exceptional with all of the sound, especially accompanied by the diverse score the film delivers.
Special Features
This set contains all the bonus features on both discs, with the 4k extras presented in 4k resolution. These include:
- A Deeper Meaning
- Melina & Lena
- Off the Script
- On the Run with Queen & Slim
- Feature Commentary with Director/Producer Melina Matsoukas and Writer/Producer Lena Waithe
Queen & Slim goes above and beyond what you’d expect from the film. I had such a good time going on this journey with these characters whose love story should be an example for all of us. With a story deep in meaning and characters with such dimension that this film provides, there is no doubt you’ll find enjoyment in this wonderful film.