_English Abstract

A crisis between a film director and his partner and actress, is triggered after the premiere of the former's debut.

Malcolm & Marie has a virtuous camera direction that seeks to energize the theatrical essence of dialogues and good performances; however, the lack of dramatic progression and the overly analytical and cerebral nature of the dialogues and discussions, which erupt almost from the beginning and with little incubation time, hinder the emotional (and even intellectual) connection with the characters._

English Review

The young couple of Malcolm and Marie (John David Washington and Zendaya) arrive at an impressive house in Malibu. He is a film maker who has just released his debut feature, and everything indicates that it will be a success. She, an actress who has had addiction problems. Both will engage in a series of recriminations and arguments.

Sam Levinson directs this elegant drama, beautifully photographed in black and white and aims to reflect a crisis triggered by that premiere. Malcolm & Marie has no shortage of themes, which, like theatrical works, reveal ever deeper facets of their characters: inspiration in real people and situations (with their permissions and implications), their relationship with critics, their belongings cultural and racial and its presumed legitimizing role, the link between a director and an actress wife.

Malcolm is an outgoing, narcissistic, and partly resentful character. His character begins very "up" and borders on the unbearable and from the beginning marks the contrast with the more introverted Marie, who feels displaced.

The structure of the film could be summarized as a series of verbal skirmishes in charge of one or the other with successful moments of silence, with a virtuous camera direction that seeks to translate the theatrical essence of the dialogues into cinematographic terms.

But unfortunately we are not facing "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" far from it. There is something that is not working (despite the good acting, especially Zendaya's) that hinders the emotional (and also the intellectual) connection with the characters: the lack of dramatic progression and the overly analytical or cerebral nature of the dialogues. and discussions, which erupt almost from the beginning and with little incubation time.

Finally, an interesting metafictional aspect is worth noting: Levinson directed Zendaya in the remarkable series Euphoria, with a similar character, but in her adolescence, in such a way that Malcolm & Marie could be seen in this sense almost as a sequel to Euphoria.