Coming this week to Bluray, DVD and Digital from director Melina Matsoukas and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is QUEEN & SLIM.

On their first date, Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith) and Slim (Daniel Kaluuya) are out for the evening. Driving Queen home, Slim is stopped by a police officer who runs the plates and then proceeds to get Slim out of the car. After searching just about every inch of the car, Queen has had about enough and gets out of the car to ask why they are behind detained.

Tensions become high as Queen pulls out her phone and the officer shoots at her. Slim is wrestled to the ground fighting with the officer. Slim finds the gun and shoots the officer. Immediately Queen pulls him up and takes over the situation leaving the cop and driving away. Slim wants to turn himself in but Queen, a lawyer, makes it clear that if he does, he will never see his family again.

Turning to people they can trust; Queen goes to Uncle Earl (Bokeem Woodbine) who puts him in contact with a friend in Florida to help them fly away. Along their journey, people are protesting and there is more violence and killing while Sherriff Edgar (Benito Martinez) tries to track them down.

They are on the run!

Kaluuya as Slim is a young man who loves his family and is fairly easy going. When the incident with the cop happens, he wants to do the right thing and tell the truth. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone and doesn’t want anyone to get hurt. This is a strong performance from Kaluuya and I held my breath when he was on the screen when danger was near.

Turner-Smith as Queen is a saucy young woman who consistently puts them in difficult situations with her tenacity. Her past gives her struggles to trust anyone, but she does put herself through law school. Woodbine as Uncle Earl isn’t keen at first on helping but understands that he must do what he can.

Although the film has cameos, it is mainly carried by Kaluuya and Turner-Smith. From first frame to last it is their story to tell and their relationship expands along with it.

Other cast includes Chloe Sevigny as Mrs. Shepherd, Flea as Mr. Shepherd, Sturgill Simpson as Officer Reeves, Indya Moore as Goddess, Benito Martinez as Sheriff Edgar, Melanie Halfkenny as Naomi, Jahi Winston as Junior.

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us to all experience and re-experience in our own home theaters. There are film of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

MOVIES ANYWHERE gives viewers the ability to download the Movies Anywhere App. With that you can view films by downloading or streaming to your favorite device using a Digital Code. For more information on Movies Anywhere please visit www.MoviesAnywhere.com.

Bonus Features of QUEEN & SLIM are A Deeper Meaning, Melina & Lena, Off the Script, On the Run with QUEEN & SLIM and Feature Commentary with Director/Producer Melina Matsoukas and Writer/Producer Lena Waithe.

The film is the winner of the African-American Film Critic Association for the AAFCA Award and Impact Award, Black Film Critics Circle Awards, Black Reel Awards, Florida Film Critics Circle and the National Board of Review Award.

If this isn’t enough there were 27 nominations from the Alliance of Women Film Journalists, Austin Film Critics Association, Hawaii Film Critics Society, Greater Western New York Critics, Hollywood Critics Association and Directors Guild of America and so many more.

QUEEN & SLIM is a film about the tragedy of what happened, the inability to turn to the authorities, more tragedy from those wanting to help and an end result that circles back to tragedy.

The soundtrack for the film is absolutely amazing with Raphael Saadiz, 6lack, EarthGang, Choker, BJ the Chicago Kid, Burna Boy, Ian Isiah and so many more.

In the end – they are in this together.

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About the Author

Jeri Jacquin

Jeri Jacquin covers film, television, DVD/Bluray releases, celebrity interviews, festivals and all things entertainment.