When telling a great story, complexity is optional. It can be useful, and proper application can generate wonderful creativity, but it’s not always a necessary part of the equation. Ultimately the principal building blocks are simply character and conflict: you put together a combination of the two, and you have a story. The majority of films we watch obviously go steps beyond that, taking advantage of the great magic in the art form – but, in contrast, it’s always excellent to see a movie like Sam Levinson’s Malcolm And Marie that opts to go the bare bones approach and in doing so can expose the raw, beating heart of drama.
