From Sam Levinson (Another Happy Day, Assassination Nation) comes a cogent two-hander about Malcolm (John David Washington), a black filmmaker who — if what the white critics said after the premier of his first feature is true — stands on the cusp of greatness, and Marie (Zendaya), a girlfriend eager to play the part of muse, if only he would let her. The two are poised to spend the night in a secluded Malibu residence, waiting for the reviews to post in the morning edition. (What would Margo Channing do if confronted by a paywall?) In spite of the evening’s accolades, Malcolm seems incapable of taking “yes” for an answer. Isn’t it racist to compare him to Spike Lee or John Singleton and not William Wyler? And what’s with the festive meal Marie has in store? William Wyler never celebrated his triumphs over a bowl of mac and cheese, and if he did, it would have been Stouffer’s, not the stuff in the blue box. (The production company popped for the digs, not the dinner.) The more we know about the characters, the less we like. From the sound of it, Malcolm’s magnum opus is an artsy variation on a familiar “just say no” theme. Then he forgets to thank his muse during a post-show speech, something for which Marie spends a good portion of the film verbally flogging him. (She argues, convincingly, that his script wouldn’t exist were it not for her life and struggles.) The cigarettes Marie smokes are skinnier than she is, but her addiction is necessary, if for no other reason than to move the camera outdoors and cover the action from a different angle — which Levinson does with great fluidity. Come for the romantic tension and stay for the multitude of inside jokes. Can his film be hailed a masterpiece if it’s not on his terms? Laugh along with Malcolm’s fiery reading of a mostly praiseworthy review in which not an observation, no matter how well-intentioned, escapes his scornful eye. (“It’s a dolly, not a steadicam shot!”) But it’s Marie who has the final word, delivering a blistering acceptance speech she wishes he had written. (2021) — Scott Marks