Queen & Slim is a modern day fugitive drama about a black couple on the run from the police. It’s a stylish and powerful film staring Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out) and newcomer Jodie Turner-Smith directed by Melina Matsoukas and written by Lena White. The opening scenes show a young black couple out on their first Tender date.
As they drive away from their first dinner date, a white cop pulls them over with lights and siren blaring for a minor traffic infraction. Failure to use a turn signal or just because their license plate read “TRUSTGOD”. Things escalate and the trigger-happy cop shoots Queen in the leg. Although it’s just a flesh wound, the cop pursues the matter and Slim shoots and kills him with his own gun in self-defense. The incident goes viral as it was captured on the cop’s dash cam. Suddenly they are fugitives on the run. She is an attorney who just lost a serious case and he is a retail worker. None of that matters now as it’s a run-for-their-lives situation.
They flee to Queen’s uncle’s (Bokeem Woodbine) New Orleans home where the black community considers the pair part of their family with the blood-thirsty cops closing in. The “Bonnie and Clyde” couple borrow another car and make it to Florida with a hopeful copter flight to Cuba where freedom awaits them. A pit stop at a roadside bar gives the couple to get ‘more’ acquainted with each other and learn more about themselves as they engage in a romantic slow dance while being recognized by the patrons. As the inevitable climax approaches Queen & Slim, who’s true identities are then learned, take their stands. This movie is funny, happy and sad. All they wanted was a date and for her to make him to stop eating so loud. This film will keep you in your seat and having you rooting for Queen & Slim. ****
