Queen & Slim with Daniel Kaluuya: review and trailer

When a traffic stop turns tragic... "Queen & Slim", a feature film by Melina Matsoukas, will be released in cinemas on February 12, 2020. It's a film that's never been so topical, as it deals with a news item that has unfortunately become the daily lot of many African-Americans, namely police stops that get out of hand and end badly.

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This hard-hitting film stars Daniel Kaluuya ("Black Panther","Les Veuves"...) and Jodie Turner-Smith ("The Last Ship","Nightflyers"...) as a couple assaulted by a police officer, as well as Indya Moore ("Pose","Magic Hour"...), Chloë Sevigny ("Lizzie","The Dead Don't Die"...), Bokeem Woodbine ("Spiderman: Homecoming","Overlord"...), Flea ("Baby Driver","Boy Erased"...) and Benito Martinez ("Million Dollar Baby","Barry Seal: American Traffic"...).

Synopsis:

On an ordinary date in Ohio, a black man and a black woman are pulled over for a minor traffic infraction. The situation escalates, leading to sudden and tragic consequences when the man kills a police officer in self-defense. Terrified and with their lives now in danger, the man, a store clerk, and the woman, a criminal defense attorney, are forced to flee. But the incident has been filmed and the video goes viral. The couple unwittingly become a symbol of trauma, terror, grief and pain for the American people.

As they drive, these two unlikely fugitives get to know each other, but also discover themselves in the most extreme and desperate of circumstances. They will forge a sincere and powerful love that will reveal their profound humanity and shape the rest of their lives.

Trailer:

Review:

"Queen & Slim" seems - almost - like a hard-hitting film, as - unfortunately - this fictional scenario could turn out to be real in today's America.
It reminds us a little of"The Hate U Give" and also echoes the "Black Lives Matter" movement born in 2013.
Throughout "Queen & Slim" (the characters' nicknames), we follow their journey (on the run) to the end they hadn't planned on...
Daniel Kaluuya, much appreciated in"Get Out" (although this is a horror film by Jordan Peele, it also dealt with the plight of black people) delivers a fine, credible performance, alongside Jodie-Turner Smith, who doesn't disappoint either.
These two modern-day Black Bonnie and Clyde become, in spite of themselves, characters who will divide America: for some, they are prey to be slaughtered (because they killed a cop, who had killed an unarmed Black man some time before), while for the Black community, they become avengers of the Black cause, heroes for whom support demonstrations are organized.
We also appreciate the supporting characters, such as Uncle Earl, a bling bling man who marries survet', fur and flashy jewels in his harem, played by Bokeem Woodbine, and his friend the veteran Mr Shepherd, played by a rather unrecognizable Flea (bassist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers).
The soundtrack, made up of hip hop and soul, is very pleasant and polished. While the beginning of the film is very dark (it takes place at night), the rest is much brighter, with beautiful landscapes of deepest America (Kentucky, Ohio...). Images that contrast with those at the end.