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Donald Glover is one of Hollywood’s foremost creatives as a writer, director, actor, producer, singer and whatever else he might aspire to pursue. Many most likely know him for his role as Troy Barnes in the TV series Community, nerds might recognize him as Aaron Davis (uncle of Miles Morales Spider-Man) in Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and his musical career as Childish Gambino. Singing hit songs like “Redbone” (featured in the opening of Jordan Peele’s Get Out), “Freaks and Geeks” and “3005”. Last Friday, Prime Video will be releasing Glover’s new eight episode series Mr. & Mrs. Smith based off the 2005 film of the same name. A show in which Glover helped produce, write and stars in with Maya Erskine. With the release of this new upcoming series though let’s look back at some of Donald Glover’s other pieces of work that shows what kind of a creative person he seems to be.
Did you know that Donald Glover was a writer for Tina Fey’s tv series 30 Rock? He cameos twice in the series in fact during his time as a writer. Fey saw Glover’s potential outside of the writers room and urged him to be more creative outside being a writer for her show. If you need evidence of his capacity for comedic timing and delivery of a joke then look no further than his comedy special Donald Glover: Weirdo. In the special he discusses brings up things like the controversies that occurred when people were fan casting him as the next possible person who can play Spider-Man after Andrew Garfield, but does it in the most hilarious manor without really punching down towards any group. Which seems to be quite the difficult thing to achieve these days in stand-up comedy.
Read Also: ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ Review
Now, nobody is going to admit this online but I will. Donald Glover saved the sanity of many during the COVID pandemic. 03.15.20 does not receive enough credit as Glover’s final album as Gambino. He released a limited time sample earlier for less than a few hours before releasing this concept album during the 21st century’s blackest of nights. Glover decided to drop this album mere days into many countries having to shut down from the COVID-19 pandemic. In a time where there was so much uncertainty in people’s mind, the populous of Gambino fans and lovers of good music was blessed with this album. Awaken, My Love! was quite the departure from his last albums and EPs, but Glover is known to be highly experimental in his writing, acting and overall ideas. He is a man who refuses to be tied down by comfort and to be put in a box.
03.15.20 especially shows just how experimental he is at heart. He could have made his final album be another one that perpetuated the image of himself as an amazing rapper, but instead he chose to give people something different. He provided a mix of pop, atmospheric vibes, a collaborates with the likes of Ariana Grande, R&B and so many other genres that this album decides to throw at its listeners. 03.15.20 truly embodies an image of possibilities, experimentation and experience not just in the songs in the album, but the fact that there is no album art or names to ten of the twelve tracks. This album was made to be experienced in an entirety in order. The lack of image and distinction for the tracks beyond their tunes is something that has to be commended. It truly makes the music stand on its own.
To further explore Glover’s most creative era lets look at the film Guava Island. Donald produced, wrote and starred in this film with Rihanna that was first exhibited at Coachella of all places back in 2019. After watching the film it made sense as to why it was shown at a music festival like Coachella. The story is very much about how music is a freeing a form of art that can not only free the soul of all of its hardships while it plays, but how music can free others of what has bound them down and how the performer is a vessel to make others rise up against what has them down. Whether it be something spiritual or someone who has actually suppressed them.
There a lot of Gambino’s officially released songs like “This is America” or “Summertime Magic” but they are remixed and done in new ways that changes them up a bit from how you would normally hear them on Spotify. Summertime Magic for example is done with steel drums in the movie for a bit and it is an astounding experience that differentiates itself a fair bit from the original. Then there is all the original music in the movie that I wish every single day was available to listen to on Spotify, Apple Music or anything. Songs like “Die With You” is such a wonderful song that it lives rent free in my head whenever I am with my own thoughts.
However, Glover seems to have Guava Island intend to be an experience that fans for the most part can only experience in that limited time so that whenever we want to experience it again they would have recall it in their memories with all the good vibes that came along with it. So that a mass amount of rewatching would not dilute the overall experience a viewer can feel. Either that or I am reaching and Amazon just decided to remove it after a certain point. But if you are someone who can find a way to watch this movie I highly recommend it, it was originally released on Prime Video for a limited time in 2019 but has since been removed and there’s no legitimate way to experience this piece of magic in its entirety anywhere else.
So overall Gambino is a mastermind who’s content should be given a viewing chance the moment an audience member gets a chance and then pondered upon afterwards given his prior track record as the creative that he is. The quality of this new Mr. & Mrs. Smith is amazing and is an excellent addition to Donald Glover’s track record of work.
You watch all eight episodes of Mr. & Mrs. Smith now on Prime Video.
