Queen & Slim

Queen & Slim is a 2019 American romantic road crime drama film directed by Melina Matsoukas (in her feature directorial debut) and with a screenplay by Lena Waithe from a story by James Frey and Waithe. The film stars Daniel Kaluuya, Jodie Turner-Smith, Bokeem Woodbine, Chloë Sevigny, Flea, Sturgill Simpson and Indya Moore. The plot follows two African Americans who go on the run after killing a police officer during a traffic stop.

Queen & Slim
Theatrical release poster
Directed byMelina Matsoukas
Produced by
  • Lena Waithe
  • Melina Matsoukas
  • Michelle Knudsen
  • Andrew Coles
  • Brad Weston
  • Pamela Abdy
Screenplay byLena Waithe
Story by
Starring
Music byDevonté Hynes
CinematographyTat Radcliffe
Edited byPete Beaudreau
Production
companies
  • 3BlackDot
  • Bron Creative
  • Makeready
  • De La Revolución Films
  • Hillman Grad Productions
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • November 14, 2019 (2019-11-14) (AFI Fest)
  • November 27, 2019 (2019-11-27) (United States)
Running time
132 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$17–20 million[2][3]
Box office$47.7 million[4][5]

Queen & Slim had its world premiere at the AFI Fest on November 14, 2019 and was theatrically released in the United States on November 27, 2019, by Universal Pictures. It received generally positive reviews from critics and grossed $47 million.

Plot

A criminal defense attorney, Queen, has an awkward dinner with her Tinder date Slim in an Ohio diner. Slim drives Queen home afterwards; his supposedly erratic driving attracts the attention of a police officer, who pulls the two over and makes Slim step out of the car. The officer goes on to search Slim's person, then with permission from Slim is allowed to search his trunk. When Slim asks if he could hurry as it is cold, the officer draws his gun on Slim, and when Queen gets out and tries to pull out her phone to record, he shoots her in the leg. Slim tackles the officer and a scuffle ensues, resulting in Slim grabbing the officer's gun and shooting him with it. Queen tells Slim that they either have to go on the run or will spend the rest of their lives in prison. When they run out of gas, the pair flags down a pickup truck for help. The driver, Edgar, turns out to be a sheriff in Kentucky. At the gas station, Edgar gets a notice on his radio about the Ohio officer's death and identifies Queen and Slim as the suspects. They hold Edgar at gunpoint and steal his truck, trapping him in their broken-down car's trunk.

Queen and Slim travel to New Orleans to the house of her estranged Uncle Earl, a pimp, for help. Although Earl is reluctant, Queen convinces him to aid them since she had previously helped him avoid jail for the accidental killing of her mother. Slim proposes that they escape to Cuba, and Earl tells them that when he was serving in Iraq, he saved the life of a Mr. Shepherd who would be able to help them get there from Miami. Queen and Slim eventually take one of Earl's cars and head towards Florida. As they continue their drive in the morning, the couple's car breaks down. They take it to a black mechanic whose teenaged son, Junior, expresses his admiration for them, who have now become widely recognisable and a symbol.

The next day, Queen visits her mother's grave with Slim and shares her grief over the relationship she had with her mother, and the two have sex in the car. Elsewhere, at a protest in support of Queen and Slim, Junior pulls a gun on a black officer and impulsively shoots him in the face, and is subsequently killed. Queen and Slim get to the home of the Shepherds, but a neighbor recognizes them, and SWAT team shows up outside shortly after. The Shepherds, while eating dinner, tell them about the bounty on them ($250K each) and give them directions to the next person able to assist them. During dinner, Mr. Shepherd suddenly tells Queen and Slim to hide in a crawlspace under the bed in their room until the coast is clear. Soon after, the SWAT team bursts through the door and search the house.

The following day, they emerge from the crawlspace, and exit the house to the backyard via the window, at which point Queen dislocates her shoulder. The pair gain access to a rear garage, and Slim relocates Queen's shoulder, causing her to cry out loudly in pain. This attracts the notice of one of the officers posted outside the front of the house. When the young black officer asks his partner if he heard the noise, the older white officer condescendingly tells him to go and look. As the couple attempt to flee from the Shepherds' garage, the black officer stumbles upon them, but lets them go.

The couple then drive the car to the place where they are to meet the next person, but it is the middle of the night and no one is there. They decide to sleep in the car until the morning. In the morning, they are suddenly awakened by a man pointing a shotgun at them through the window. He tells them to follow him to his trailer as he can lead them to a friend with a plane that can get them away. After making some calls, he drives them to the tarmac and drops them off where a plane is waiting to take off. As the two walk toward the plane, a squad of cops arrives behind them.

A cop on a loud speaker keeps ordering the pair to get on the ground, which they ignore. A cop shoots Queen in the chest, instantly killing her. Devastated, Slim picks up her corpse and carries her toward the cops, leading them to gun him down as well. News of the tragic end to the manhunt is publicized, and the couple's real names Angela Johnson and Ernest Hines are made public. The man who dropped them off at the tarmac is shown in his trailer counting a large amount of cash, indicating that he in fact was working with the police and received the bounty as a reward. Hundreds of civilians attend their funerals and view them as martyrs and heroes.

Cast

Production

On July 19, 2018, it was announced that production company Makeready had won a bidding war to co-finance the dramatic thriller film Queen & Slim, scripted by Lena Waithe from an original idea by James Frey, which would star Daniel Kaluuya and be directed by Melina Matsoukas.[6] In November 2018, Jodie Turner-Smith was cast to star opposite Kaluuya.[7] In March 2019, Chloë Sevigny joined the cast of the film.[8]

Principal photography began in January 2019.[9][10] Production concluded on March 22, 2019.[11]

Music
See also: Queen & Slim (soundtrack)

The score album for Queen & Slim was composed by English musician Devonté Hynes.[12] Choosing the score composer, Matsoukas stated she wanted a "black composer that could live between classical, hip-hop, and pop that's current", further asking "Who would be our current Quincy Jones?". Matsoukas then turned to Solange Knowles for advice, Knowles suggested Hynes.[13]

Release

Queen & Slim had its world premiere at the AFI Fest on November 14, 2019.[14] It was theatrically released in the United States on November 27, 2019, by Universal Pictures. It is scheduled to be released in the United Kingdom in January 2020.[15]

Reception

Box office

Queen & Slim grossed $43.8 million in the United States and Canada, and $3.9 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $47.7 million.[5]

In the United States and Canada, the film was released alongside Knives Out, and was projected to gross $12–16 million from 1,625 theaters over its five-day opening weekend.[2] It made $1.7 million on its first day, Wednesday, and $2.4 million on Thursday, which was Thanksgiving Day. It went on to gross $11.9 million during its opening weekend (a five-day total of $16 million), finishing fourth at the box office.[16] In its second weekend the film made $6.5 million (a drop of 45%), remaining in fourth.[17]

Critical response

Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 82% based on 205 reviews, with an average rating of 7.39/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "Stylish, provocative, and powerful, Queen & Slim tells a gripping fugitive story steeped in timely, thoughtful subtext."[18] Metacritic, another review aggregator, assigned the film a weighted average score of 74 out of 100 based on 43 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews."[19] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A–" on an A+ to F scale, while those at PostTrak gave it an average 5 out of 5 stars, with 79% saying they would definitely recommend it.[16]

Mark Kermode of The Guardian assigned the film four out of five stars writing: "in the end it’s the love story that makes the film matter, conjured with enough electricity to allow the polemics of the head to be swept along by the passions of the heart."[20] Johnny Oleksinki of New York Post praised Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith's lead performances.[21] Adam White of The Independent labelled it "simultaneously beautiful and troubling" and praised Melina Matsoukas' directing.[22]

Accolades
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipients Result Ref.
African-American Film Critics Association December 10, 2019 Impact Award Melina Matsoukas, Lena Waithe and James Frey Won [23]
Top 10 Best Films Won
Alliance of Women Film Journalists Awards January 10, 2020 Best Woman's Breakthrough Performance Jodie Turner-Smith Nominated [24]
Austin Film Critics Association Awards January 6, 2020 Best First Film Melina Matsoukas Nominated [25]
BET Awards June 28, 2020 Best Movie Queen & Slim Won [26]
Black Film Critics Circle Awards December 19, 2019 Best Picture Melina Matsoukas, Lena Waithe and James Frey Nominated [27]
Best Original Screenplay Lena Waithe Won
Black Reel Awards February 6, 2020 Outstanding Film Melina Matsoukas, Lena Waithe and James Frey Nominated [28]
Outstanding Director Melina Matsoukas Nominated
Outstanding Emerging Director Won
Outstanding Actress Jodie Turner-Smith Nominated
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Female Nominated
Outstanding Actor Daniel Kaluuya Nominated
Outstanding Screenplay, Adapted or Original Lena Waithe Nominated
Outstanding First Screenplay Won
Outstanding Original Score Dev Hynes Nominated
Outstanding Cinematography Tad Radcliffe Won
Outstanding Costume Design Shiona Turini Nominated
Outstanding Production Design Karen Murphy Nominated
Outstanding Original Song "Collide" (by Tiana Major9 and EarthGang) Won
"Guarding the Gates" (by Lauryn Hill) Nominated
Costume Designers Guild Awards January 28, 2020 Excellence in Contemporary Film Shiona Turini Nominated [29]
Directors Guild of America Awards January 25, 2020 Outstanding Directing – First-Time Feature Film Melina Matsoukas Nominated [30]
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards December 23, 2019 Best First Film Melina Matsoukas Won [31]
Guild of Music Supervisors Awards February 6, 2020 Best Music Supervision for Films Budgeted Under $25 Million Kier Lehman Won [32]
Hawaii Film Critics Society Awards January 14, 2020 Best First Film Melina Matsoukas Nominated [33]
Best New Filmmaker Nominated
Hollywood Music in Media Awards November 20, 2019 Outstanding Music Supervision - Film Kier Lehman Nominated [34]
Best Soundtrack Album Queen & Slim Soundtrack Nominated
Hollywood Critics Association Awards January 9, 2020 Best First Feature Melina Matsoukas Nominated [35]
Motion Picture Sound Editors Awards January 19, 2020 Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Music Underscore Joseph S. DeBeasi Nominated [36]
NAACP Image Awards February 22, 2020 Outstanding Motion Picture Queen & Slim Nominated [37]
Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated
Outstanding Independent Motion Picture Nominated
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture Daniel Kaluuya Nominated
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture Jodie Turner-Smith Nominated
Outstanding Breakthrough Role in a Motion Picture Nominated
Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album Queen & Slim Soundtrack Nominated
National Board of Review December 3, 2019 Best Directorial Debut Melina Matsoukas Won [38]
Online Association of Female Film Critics December 23, 2019 Breakthrough Filmmaker Melina Matsoukas Nominated [39]
Online Film Critics Society Awards January 6, 2020 Best Debut Feature Melina Matsoukas Nominated [40]
St. Louis Film Critics Association Awards December 15, 2019 Best Original Screenplay Lena Waithe Nominated [41]
Toronto Film Critics Association Awards December 8, 2019 Best First Feature Melina Matsoukas Nominated [42]
Women Film Critics Circle Awards December 9, 2019 Best Woman Storyteller Lena Waithe Nominated [43]
Best Equality of the Sexes Queen & Slim Nominated
Best Screen Couple Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith Nominated
Josephine Baker Award Queen & Slim Runner-up

See also

References
  1. "Queen & Slim". AFI Fest. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  2. D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 25, 2019). "'Frozen 2' To Near $284M By Next Sunday, 'Knives Out' Could Touch $30M – Thanksgiving B.O. Preview". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  3. Yohana Desta (October 22, 2019). "Lena Waithe Hopes Queen & Slim Makes Trump Mad: "I Look Forward to That Tweet"". Vanity Fair. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  4. "Queen & Slim (2019)". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  5. "Queen & Slim (2019)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  6. Fleming, Mike, Jr. (July 19, 2018). "Makeready Sets 'Queen & Slim'; Daniel Kaluuya Stars, Melina Matsoukas Directs Lena Waithe Script". Deadline. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  7. Kroll, Justin (November 8, 2018). "Jodie Smith-Turner to Star Opposite Daniel Kaluuya in 'Queen & Slim' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  8. Bentley, Jean (March 22, 2019). "HOW TRUE-CRIME HORROR STORY THE ACT CAME TO LIFE". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
  9. "Queen and Slim". Production List. 2018-12-17. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  10. "Queen & Slim". Backstage. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  11. "Queen & Slim". filmneworleans.org. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
  12. Strauss, Matthew (November 19, 2019). "Devonté Hynes (aka Blood Orange) Details Queen & Slim Album, Shares New Songs: Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  13. Chow, Andrew R. (November 22, 2019). "How Queen and Slim's Filmmakers Captured the Past, Present and Future of Black Music". Time. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  14. Sharf, Zack (August 27, 2019). "AFI FEST 2019 Sets 'Queen & Slim' World Premiere for Opening Night". IndieWire. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
  15. "QUEEN & SLIM In Cinemas in January 2020". Filmoria.co.uk. 2019-09-13. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  16. D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 1, 2019). "'Frozen 2' Scores Second Best Wednesday For November & Animated Pic With Near $24M, 'Knives Out' Earns $8M+: Thanksgiving B.O." Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  17. D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 8, 2019). "'Frozen 2' Leads Dreary December Weekend With $34M+, 'Playmobil' Plunges To $670K – Sunday Update". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
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  19. "Queen & Slim Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  20. Kermode, Mark; critic, Observer film (2020-02-02). "Queen & Slim review – love on the run across the US racial divide". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-02-04.
  21. Oleksinski, Johnny (2019-11-25). "'Queen & Slim' film review: A heartbreaking road trip". New York Post. Retrieved 2020-02-04.
  22. "Queen & Slim struggles to meld its beauty with its politics – review". The Independent. 2020-01-30. Retrieved 2020-02-04.
  23. Rahman, Abid (October 10, 2019). "Jordan Peele's 'Us' Named Best Film by African-American Film Critics Association 2019". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
  24. Messner, Thomas (January 10, 2020). "'Parasite' wins Alliance of Women Film Journalists awards". Screen Daily. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  25. "The 2019 Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA) Nominations". Next Best Picture. December 30, 2019. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
  26. Tartaglione, Nancy (December 19, 2019). "Black Film Critics Circle Anoints 'Dolemite Is My Name' As Best Film". Deadline. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  27. Tartaglione, Nancy (December 19, 2019). "Black Film Critics Circle Anoints 'Dolemite Is My Name' As Best Film". Deadline. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  28. "Black Reel Awards 2020". December 12, 2019. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  29. Schmidt, Ingrid (January 28, 2020). "'Knives Out,' 'Jojo Rabbit' Take Home Honors at Costume Designers Guild Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  30. Jackson, Angelique (January 7, 2020). "Directors Guild Nominees Include Bong Joon Ho, Sam Mendes, Taika Waititi". Variety. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  31. Neglia, Matt (December 23, 2019). "The 2019 Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  32. Herman, James Patrick (February 7, 2020). "Guild of Music Supervisors Awards: Regina Spektor, 'Euphoria' Among Winners (Full List)". Variety. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  33. Wurst II, Barry (January 6, 2020). "Hawaii Film Critics Society 2019 Nominees List". Hawaii Film Critics Society. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  34. Harris, LaTesha (November 5, 2019). "'Joker,' 'Lion King,' 'Us' Lead 2019 Hollywood Music in Media Awards Nominees". Variety. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
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  36. Ramos, Dino-Ray (December 19, 2019). "Motion Picture Sound Editors Unveil 67th Annual Golden Reel Nominations". Deadline.
  37. France, Lisa Respers (February 23, 2020). "The 51st NAACP Image Awards winners list". CNN. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  38. Sharf, Zack (December 3, 2019). "National Board of Review 2019: 'The Irishman' Wins Best Film, Adam Sandler Named Best Actor". IndieWire. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
  39. "The 2019 Online Association Of Female Film Critics (OAFFC) Winners". Next Best Picture. December 23, 2019. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  40. Sharma, Aayush (December 25, 2019). "'The Irishman,' 'Marriage Story' Lead Online Film Critics Society Nominations". International Business Times. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  41. Neglia, Matt (December 15, 2019). "The 2019 St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  42. "'Parasite' big winner at Toronto Film Critics Association Awards". The Star. December 8, 2019. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  43. Neglia, Matt (December 9, 2019). "The 2019 Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
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