Lousy direction by Melina Matsoukas.
Lousy screenplay by Lena Waithe. Dumb story by James Frey and Lena Waithe.
Executive produced by Guymon Casady, Reginald Cash, Jason Cloth, Aaron L. Gilbert, Pamela Hirsch, David Krintzman, and Angelo Pullen. Co-executive produced by Ashley Levinson. Produced by Pamela Abdy, Andrew Coles, James Frey, Michelle Knudsen, Melina Matsoukas, Lena Waithe, and Brad Weston. Co-produced by Todd Cohen. Line producer (Los Angeles) Ron Eli Cohen.
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya as Slim; Jodie Turner-Smith as Queen; Bokeem Woodbine as Uncle Earl; Chloë Sevigny as Mrs. Shepherd; Flea as Mr. Shepherd; Sturgill Simpson as Police Officer Reed; Indya Moore as Goddess; Benito Martinez as Sheriff Edgar; Jahi Di'Allo Winston as Junior; Gralen Bryant Banks as Older Black Man; Dickson Obahor as Large Black Man; Bryant Tardy as Chubby; Thom Gossom Jr. as Slim's Father (as Thomas Gossom Jr.); Melanie Halfkenny as Naomi; Brian Thornton as Swat Leader; Joseph Poliquin as Cashier; Karen Kaia Livers as Bartender; and others.
THE STORY: (As posted on White-owned and White controlled imdb.com) A couple's first date takes an unexpected turn when a police officer pulls them over.
THE STORY: (As posted on White-owned and White controlled Wikipedia.com) The plot follows two African-Americans who go on the run after killing a police officer in self-defense during a traffic stop gone wrong.
THE REAL STORY: Consistent with the dominant stereotype that defines the overwhelming majority of Black women, a highly opinionated, extremely bossy, uppity, and emotionally depressed criminal defense attorney, goes on a first date with a congenial, soft-spoken Black man, only to stupidly manipulate him to flee the scene of a crime which lead to their death. And you wonder why so many Black men date and marry White women, Latino women, Asian women, etc.?
Let's begin with two very basic questions:
1. What would a reasonably intelligent, law abiding person do if stopped by the police?
2. Given that most Black people are extremely "aware" of historical and perpetual racism in the United States, and the greater likelihood of an innocent Black person being beaten, shot, or killed if stopped by the police, what would a reasonably intelligent, law abiding Black person do if stopped by the police? In this regard, film wants you to believe Queen and Slim were completely unaware of . . .
The Beating of Rodney King, 26,
Los Angeles, California on March 3, 1991
The Killing of Philando Castile, 32,
Falcon Heights, Minnesota
on July 6, 2016
The Killing of Tamir Rice, 12,
Cleveland, Ohio on November 22, 2014
The Killing of Eric Garner, 43,
New York City on July 17, 2014
Let's back up. Lena Waithe, the author of the screenplay, stated on Wendy Williams' nationally televised program, she's a gay Black woman, and she's NEVER experienced a romantic relationship with a Black man. Of course, some LGBTQIBPP people possess a robust character and scope of life experience to objectively and effectively write a realistic screenplay of a burgeoning Black heterosexaul relationship," but not Lena Waithe. Waithe's parents had divorced when she was three, and her father died when she was fourteen, and Waithe's professional agenda is to "recruit more people of color and queer artists for her film and television projects. At best, Waite's view of Black men is skewed, and her script for "Queen & Slim" reeks of it.
Promoting her film on the TV talk show circuit, Waithe said "Queen & Slim" should be viewed as "Protest Art," to somehow reflect the killing of innocent Black people by police. In this regard, "Queen & Slim" is an insult to the hundreds of innocent Black men, Black women, and Black children killed by police. "Queen & Slim" trivializes the targeting of Black people, and equally distasteful, the film characterizes White law enforcement officers as racist, trigger happy, stupid, and intentionally incapable of acting in compliance with the law.
Again, Waithe has absolutely no practical experience of how a "real" Black man would respond in such a situation, and equally important, Waithe has absolutely no practical experience of how "intelligent" Black people actually respond to a potentially adversive traffic stop; so Waithe made-up this crappy fantasy film. To be clear, the stupidity of the script ignored the fact that attorneys are "officers of the court," and accordingly, a competent attorney would know:
1. As with the police, attorneys are also "required" to be compliant with all laws or face disbarment, and civil and/or criminal charges, including incarceration;
2. After being pulled over during a traffic stop, she would immediately acknowledge the authority of the police officer and NOT exit from the vehicle unless directed by the law enforcement officer to do so;
Instead, big mouth uppity Queen exits from the car, yells at the police officer, "I am an attorney and I'm reaching for my cell phone . . ."
Having previously directed Queen not to exit the vehicle, nevertheless, big mouth, uppity Queen exits the vehicle. The police officer must now split his attention from Slim, who's standing slightly behind him to his left and Queen who's standing in front of him slightly to his right. The police officer shoots Queen as she reaches behind her back "supposedly" for her cell phone.
3. A competent attorney would be aware of local laws and law enforcement protocols where she resides, including if, how, and where police use cameras to surveil their operations;
4. A competent attorney would call an additional "life line," such as 911, or call a friend, or call local media, etc., and
5. A competent attorney would "shut the fuck up," and use her cell phone to video record or "live" broadcast everything.
But no, as scripted, this loud mouth Black woman is a narcissist, she knows what's best.Most importantly, not until after Queen and Slim left the scene of the "accident" did the event become a crime. So, although the Black man did not want to leave the scene of the "accident," the uppity, highly opinionated, extremely bossy, emotionally depressed criminal defense attorney, nagged and whined and nagged and whined and manipulated the pleasant going Black man to do her bidding. A Black man who, as scripted, loved his parents, respected women, and likely deferred to Queen because, after all, she was an attorney. Again, and you wonder why so many Black men date and marry White women, Latino women, Asian women, etc.?
To recap, Queen and Slim are pulled over for a traffic stop and . . .
6. When Slim was pulled over by the police officer for allegedly failing to use a turn signal, Queen could have informed the officer she was an attorney, and in the "real world," this self-identification would have likely changed how the officer interacted with Queen and Slim. Script stupidly wants us to believe an attorney, especially an uppity and highly opinionated attorney would not convey her credential to the officer.
7. As represented by the mid-range screen shot below, when Queen was shot by the police officer she physically reacted as if she had been shot in her left shoulder; the film did NOT immediately show any gun shot wound. Later we discover Queen was shot in her left leg, upper thigh. This sequence was poorly shot, poorly choreographed, poorly edited, and film failed to main continuity with the placement of Queen's gun shot wound.
8. Film completely ignored any reaction from the police, federal authorities (possible hate crime, civil rights violation, etc.), news media, or from the general public concerning the existence of the police camera (below). Script stupidly wants us to believe every member of law enforcement viewing this footage and the actual crime scene ignored (a) the police officer shot first; (b) that only one gun was involved and viewed; and (c) that all physical evidence, bullistics, and forensics establish the officer as the aggressor.
9. If it's necessary to use their weapon, police officers are typically trained to aim at the central body mass (vital organs), not at the extremities of arms, legs, or even a head shot. Standing less than a car length from Queen, an officer would not miss; Queen should have been shot dead. Then, the script could have, should have pivoted to several other viable, more realistic options:
(a) the officer turns and kills Slim, he subsequently deletes or modifies the police cam, and/or plants evidence; or
(b) camera pivots to an adjacent office or apartment building where one or more people watched and/or filmed the entire traffic stop gone wrong; or
(c) unbeknownst to the police officer, a local security firm uses drones to surveil property in the area, and a video of the traffic stop gone wrong is leaked to local news media, internet, etc.
Observation: If the idea is to use "protest art" to bring attention to the perpetual frequency of how many but not all White people intentionally shoot, kill, and incarcerate innocent Black people (as in the film, "Just Mercy"), then it's imperative scripts accurately reflect the "realities" of the real world. In this regard, "Queen and Slim" is a total failure.
10. When Queen and Slim run out of gas, they flag down a pickup truck for help, and the driver turns out to be a sheriff. They lock the sheriff in the trunk of their abandoned car, then steal the sheriff's pickup. Film did not address if the sheriff died in the trunk of Queen and Slim's abandoned car, but should have. Script stupidly wants us to believe an all-points-bulletin (APB) to local, state, and federal law enforcement was not issued to locate the sheriff, which would have prompted Queen and Slim's quick arrest.
11. Queen and Slim head to New Orleans to seek assistance from Queen's estranged Uncle Earl, a pimp. Script stupidly wants us to believe:
(b) Given the character and scope of technology (National Crime Information Center) used by law enforcement to identify, monitor, and track both suspects and convicted felons, and given that Uncle Earl, a pimp, has a criminal record, it would take maybe a nanosecond for law enforcement to identify and monitor all family and friends of Queen and Slim.
Script stupidly wants us to believe law enforcement is stuck in the 1800s. This script is asinine.
12. Uncle Earl tells Queen and Slim to meet with his Iraq war buddy in Florida, and he'll help them escape to Cuba. Script stupidly wants us to believe political relations with Cuba have improved so much (LOL) that Cuba remains the "go to" location for Black people on the run from law enforcement, such as convicted murderer Assata Shakur, who was granted political asylum by Cuba in 1984. This script is asinine.
13. To avoid public discovery and law enforcement while enroute to Florida, Queen and Slim deem it necessary to be incognito. Script stupidly wants us to believe cutting-off Queen's fake braids and dressing her in a sleeveless, one-piece bikini-strap, micro-dress, with boots and driving one of Uncle Earl's bright and shiny rimmed "pimp mobiles" will accomplish this.This script is asinine.
Note Queen's left thigh with the really, really fake-looking gunshot wound and bandage.
14. Queen and Slim run out of gas, and they have no money. The gas station attendant recognizes them from wanted posters, TV broadcasts, etc. The gas station attendant says, "I'll let you get gas if you let me hold your gun. I'll give it back." Slim hands the gun to the gas service attendant (below), who points it directly at Slim. The gas station attendent clearly knows Queen and Slim are wanted by law enforcement, but gives the gun back to Slim. Script stupidly wants us to believe (a) this scence could actually happen, (b) that the gas station attendent wouldn't pursue some kind of financial reward for the capture of Queen and Slim, and (c) that this scene adds any value or serves any purpose to this film.This script is asinine.
15. As Queen and Slim continue their flight from law enforcement, the couple's "pimp mobile" breaks down, and a mechanic agrees to fix their ride. Enthralled by the celebrity of Queen and Slim, the mechanic's son, Junior, personally conveys his fanaticism to Queen and Slim; he attends a protest march in support of Queen and Slim, and kills a police officer point blank. Script stupidly wants us to believe seeking an end to the killing and incarceration of innocent Black people functions as a "cause and effect" relationship with fanaticism, vigilantes, and mob violence.
16. Keep in mind, Queen and Slim are on the run, and one might think their focus is to escape to Cuba, right? No. Queen and Slim take time to stop at a Black club, eat, and dance. Queen and Slim take time to visit the grave site of Queen's mother, and then they take some extra, extra time to consummate their unbridled sexual passion with a naked tits and ass sex scene in their "pimp mobile." Script stupidly wants us to believe (a) law enforcement is as lackadaisical in its pursuit of criminals, just as Queen and Slim use "colored peoples time" to further procrastinate their escape; and (b) the "tits and ass" scene was "artistically" necessary and we must not view Queen (or actress Jodie Turner-Smith) as yet another woman coerced to be a sexual object on screen. Bullshit.
17. Queen and Slim finally get to Uncle Earl's Iraq war buddy in Florida; unfortunately, a neighbor recognizes them, SWAT shows up, but Queen and Slim successfully hide to evade capture. Let's not forget, Queen has a gun shot wound in her upper thigh, and police only carry .9mm, or .38, or .45 calibur rounds which leave big holes in flesh! Script did not establish Queen as an athlete in high school or college, or as someone committed to a regular exercise program (running, martial arts, swimming - oops, Black women don't swim, it's a hair thing, etc.). Nevertheless, Queen jumps out of a two-story window - injury free. Really?? Script stupidly wants us to believe this crap.
18. As Queen and Slim flee from Uncle Earl's Iraq war buddy in Florida, a Black police officer stumbles upon them, but lets them go. Script stupidly and intentionally paints Black men, with or without a badge, as weak and unable to comply with the law. Even a YouTube.com parody of this film is more realistic.This script is asinine.
19. Eventually Queen and Slim connect with a man who'll get them to an escape plane and on to Cuba. Shorty after they arrive at the tarmac, Queen and Slim are surrounded by a squad of law enforcement officers. Of course: (a) police make absolutely no effort, including the use of binoculars, to determine if Queen and Slim are armed; and (b) police make absolutely no effort to subdue Queen and Slim though non-lethal means. Queen is the first to be shot and killed. Then, Slim picks-up Queens dead body, craddles it using both of his arms, and carries it walking slowing toward the police. Although the police were closely monitoring Slim, and both of Slim's hands were full from carrying Queen, nevertheless, the police fired a hail of bullets "in execution style" to shoot and kill Slim too. Script stupidly wants us to believe this "protest art" is quality filmmaking.
20. Film ends with Queen and Slim publicly hailed as martyrs and heroes. Script stupidly wants us to believe this "protest art" is quality filmmaking.
Direction by Melina Matsoukas was predicatable, cut and paste, derivative of other "criminal on the run" films. Editing by Pete Beaudreau lacked continuity, poorly paced, and film should have been cut by at least 42 minutes, from 132 minutes to 90 minutes. Costume design by Shiona Turini did not reconcile with "usual and customary" fashions worn by "Black folks," such as Slim's appearance on a "first date," or Queen wearing "white" in the winter, or wearing go-go prostitute boots in the warm weather south, etc. Casting by Carmen Cuba dropped the ball with actress Jodie Turner-Smith miscast as Queen, because 82.1% of all Black women over thirty-(30) years of age are morbidly overweight or obese, which is especially true of sedentary Black female attorneys. Makeup was not consistent.
Again, given that most Black people are blatantly "aware" of historical and perpetual racism in the United States, and the greater likelihood of an innocent Black person being beaten, shot, or killed if stopped by the police, what would a reasonably intelligent, law abiding Black person do if stopped by the police? "Queen and Slim" answers this question by making Black people look stupid. Accordingly, when Black people make films that make Black people look stupid, don't blame White people.
This film paints an extremely negative picture of Black women, which is contrary to the overwhelming majority of Black women who exist contrary to the stereotype of being extremely bossy, uppity, and emotionally depressed. Who wrote this asinine script? Oh, yeah, Lena Waithe, a lesbian Black woman. But, of course, there's absolutely no correlation between being extremely bossy, uppity, and emotionally depressed and being a lesbian Black woman, right. 'Nuff said.
RECOMMENDATION: Never, never ever watch, rent, or purchase this putrid film in any format or venue. Period.
QUEEN AND SLIM 
