It was probably inevitable that
Malcolm & Marie the highly hyped new film on Netflix written and directed by Sam Levinson, known for his work on HBO’s
Euphoria would prove divisive to some critics. After all, the Malcolm half of the movie’s title (John David Washington) devotes ample screen time in his arguments with his girlfriend, Marie (Zendaya), to railing against the idiocy and prejudice he perceives in contemporary film criticism. It’s a clever device that preemptively protects both Malcolm, a director and potentially Levinson against the sting of negative reviews.
Still, one thing most viewers will likely agree on is the undeniable appeal of the home where the film is set; its luxe modernity may call to mind the gleaming glass bastion in 2019’s