Queen played effectively by Jodie Turner-Smith and Daniel Kaluuya are a young couple out on their first date. Queen admits she didn’t have much else to do when she accepted Slim’s offer for dinner, something she had obviously rejected in the past. It was just dinner as we learn from their banter in the restaurant. Chance has a far greater bond ready to fall on the two as they travel in his car after dinner.
The main scene in the script places the two young folks in a crisis situation when stopped by an officer who eventually orders Slim out of his car. A slight remark by Slim, indicating he was cold and could the officer hurry his search of the trunk sets off an angry response from the cop and when Slim is ordered to get down, Queen steps from the car identifies herself as a lawyer. She is then shot by the officer and his gun falls to the ground, Slim picks up the gun and when the officer charges him he shoots him.
Everything from then on changes their lives, but common sense could have avoided the entire situation which makes them fugitives. Her first response is to run away. As an officer of the court (a lawyer) she would not have taken that action. The dashboard film which floats around throughout the film on TV shows she is shot and has no weapon. Rather than ending a bad situation quickly screen writer Lena Waithe chooses to create a violent frightening place for the two young folks to live in for the remainder of the film. The film is obviously not interested in a solution but rather an ugly trip which can only lead into disaster.
The change in the look of the characters is interesting, after the incident they each cut their hair and Queen gives up her conservative outfit for a short skirt with a plunging top. The look gives notice they are now different people and will act like Bonnie & Clyde as they attempt to escape.
With front page and TV images of the two splashed everywhere they find help from friends and two gently folks who believe they are not to blame. Even an unrealistic assist is given by a police officer.
The script is not about solution or even understanding, the two are far more capable of ending their situation than the story allows. The effort here is to reach out for an emotional response and it gives a powerful one in the last unlikely scene.