NPR

'Malcolm & Marie' Is Lost, Just Like Its Central Couple

Euphoria's Sam Levinson and Zendaya re-team for this exhausting relationship drama, written and shot during the pandemic.
John David Washington and Zendaya star in <em>Malcolm & Marie</em>.

These are a few things that can be, and often are, true: Black artists are lavished with praise for their societal value while the artistry of their technique and craftwork are overlooked. White critics fall back on comparing Black artists to one another even if the work, style or visions among them are entirely disparate. Artists borrow from the lives of those they know intimately and risk making a mess of their relationships. Zendaya and John David Washington are talented performers and ridiculously good-looking human beings. (OK, this last one is consistently true.)

The mere fact that these things might be true at any given moment doesn't make

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR4 min readInternational Relations
Hamas Says Latest Cease-fire Talks Have Ended. Israel Vows A Military Operation Soon
The latest round of Gaza cease-fire talks ended in Cairo. Meanwhile, Israel closed its main crossing point for delivering badly needed humanitarian aid for Gaza after Hamas attacked it.
NPR2 min read
Jerry Seinfeld And The Fraught History Of Comedians And 'Political Correctness'
Jerry Seinfeld has the become the latest in a string of public figures to blame "political correctness" for the death of comedy (among other societal ills). But what does the term actually refer to?
NPR2 min readDiscrimination & Race Relations
U Of Mississippi Opens Probe Over Hostile Protest That Involved Racist Taunts
Videos of Thursday's incident at the school were shared on social media showing heated confrontations between pro-Palestinian protesters and a larger group of counterprotesters.

Related Books & Audiobooks