The Netflix original movie Malcolm and Marie is a movie that started filming in the early months of the COVID-19 shutdown. Directed by Euphoria creator Sam Levinson, the film follows Malcolm, played by John David Washington, and Marie, played by Zendaya, as they come home and dive into a fight that spirals into a toxic end of a relationship.

The entirety of the film takes place in the couple’s home after Malcolm’s movie premiere. It is clear while Malcolm blindly enjoys the debut of his new movie, his partner’s short answers and distant attitude signal to any woman watching that she is upset about something.

It doesn’t take the couple long to start their fight, revealing Marie is upset because he forgot to thank her in his speech for the movie that was based off her life as a recovered addict. Once the fight starts, the audience soon sees that the couple has deep rooted issues that span past the one night.

What makes Malcolm and Marie a captivating watch is the actors. Zendaya has a track record of stunning performances and her role as Marie continues her legacy. The fiery speeches that rip deep into the heart of Malcolm and the audience make the movie worth watching for Zendaya alone. Washington is her perfect counterpart for this film. Every time Malcolm emotionally abuses Marie or goes on a rant about how his movie isn’t being perceived the way he wants it to be because white critics don’t understand black films.

While the fighting is entertaining in the same morbid way as watching your neighbors fight in the front yard, it feels more like a screenplay turned into movie. The emotional ripping  of each other and heartbreaking talks between a breaking couple hurt to watch. I could imagine how a duet of actors could make the entire film work on stage as well.

Throughout the film, Malcolm goes on longwinded speeches about the film industry and critics. While his character is a film maker and his movie has just been released, these monologues feel out of place in this romantic drama. It felt like one of those instances where the writers see themselves in the character too much and project their own voice in the mouth of the character. When Malcolm gets a good review from the Los Angeles Times, he goes on an angry rant that in the end cements the theory I had that his man may be a narcissistic abuser.

While Marie gets her fair share of verbal punches in, it is Malcolm who consistently goes too far in their fights. He brings up hurtful parts of her past to gaslight and manipulate her into believing he is the best man she’ll ever find. In a fight that starts because he took Marie and her life for granted, all he has to do is keep apologizing and stop trying to justify forgetting her. He says his movie isn’t solely based on her, but it is enough for her to feel like she gave away her story and parts of herself to this man who couldn’t be bothered to remember to thank her for it.

Malcolm and Marie ends on a realistic unknown note. After spending the night fighting, the couple finally gets to bed after one last heart-wrenching monologue on Zendaya’s part. The final scene is Malcolm waking up to an empty bed and we watch as he joins her outside where she stands on a hill. The audience watches from the bedroom window. Director Sam Levinson does not allow us to see the characters up close a final time. They appear to say nothing to each other. Levison leaves the audience to wonder if the fight was the beginning of the end or just an extremely toxic fight and they will never know. However, personally I believe Marie deserves better than someone who invalidates very real hurt in order to make themselves look good.

Raven Gray is a Communication Major at USAO.