Sam Levinson

Lore & Background

The creation of Malcolm & Marie emerged directly from a pause in production on the HBO show Euphoria during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, while Euphoria was stopped, Levinson and Zendaya discussed making a feature film project. Levinson pitched several ideas to her, including a psychological thriller filmed at her home, before settling on "a relationship piece that plays out in real time." He then contacted John David Washington over the phone, reading him 10 pages of dialogue. Washington later recalled the experience, stating, "I couldn't believe it. It was beautiful words I heard, and at the same time very disturbing with visceral confrontations." The production adhered to strict safety protocols: principal photography occurred from June 17 to July 2, entirely at the Caterpillar House in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. No more than 12 people were allowed on set at a time, and the entire cast and crew quarantined for two weeks before and after shooting. There were no makeup artists or costume designers; Washington and Zendaya handled their own makeup and costumes.

In Their Own Story

The film's narrative unfolds in real time as Malcolm returns home from his premiere with girlfriend Marie. The tension begins immediately when Malcolm notices Marie looking displeased. She reveals she is upset he did not thank her in his speech, believing the character Imani—a struggling black female drug addict—is based on her own past. Malcolm dismisses this, claiming Imani is an amalgamation of different women, though he admits only the "feelings of hopelessness" were based on Marie. The argument escalates when Malcolm reads a positive critic review that interprets his film politically; he rants about critics projecting politics onto his black male identity rather than judging his merits. Later, Marie provokes him again by asking why she wasn't cast as Imani. To prove her point about authenticity, she grabs a knife and acts out a scene as Imani, which scares but impresses Malcolm. The night ends with the couple arguing in their bedroom before going to sleep without speaking, only thanking each other first. In the morning daylight, Malcolm wakes up alone and finds Marie outside, leaving their fate unknown.

Reader's Guide

Malcolm & Marie received a limited theatrical release on January 29, 2021, followed by a digital release on Netflix on February 5, 2021. Netflix acquired the distribution rights in September 2020 for $30 million, outbidding HBO, Amazon Studios, Searchlight Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Apple TV+, A24, and Focus Features. Deadline Hollywood reported the film "made hardly any money" during its theatrical run due to lockdowns, though it was the most-watched title on Netflix in its debut weekend before dropping out of the top 10 by the second week. Critics offered mixed reviews; Rotten Tomatoes shows a 57% positive rating from 252 critics, while Metacritic gave it a weighted average score of 53 based on 44 critics. Many praised the chemistry between Zendaya and Washington, but criticized Levinson's screenplay. Some reviews were harsh, such as Charles Bramesco calling it an "awkward, hideously overacted talkathon" (1/5), while others like Zach Marsh hailed it as "one of the greatest films of the past twenty years." The film also drew criticism for the twelve-year age difference between the lead actors. For her performance, Zendaya was nominated for Best Actress at the 26th Critics' Choice Awards.

Did You Know?

• The film was shot entirely on black-and-white 35 mm film.
• Principal production took place over exactly two weeks, from June 17 to July 2, 2020.
• No makeup artists or costume designers were on set; the lead actors did their own makeup and picked out their costumes.
• Netflix acquired the distribution rights for $30 million, outbidding six other major studios including HBO and A24.
• The entire cast and crew had to quarantine for two weeks before and after the shooting period.