Some of the strongest relationships and marriages can often begin with a simple date, even if both parties happen to be a young Barack Obama and young Michelle Robinson. When looking at the different type of biopics that Hollywood generally makes, one of the more understated ones are those that center around Presidential figures. Some of the more recent Presidential biopics have taken bold and controversial approaches in exploring their key historical figures such as Oliver Stones Nixon, 2008's W, Steven Spielberg's Lincoln, and to an extent 2018's Vice which starred Christian Bale, Amy Adams, and Sam Rockwell. With Southside Of You, the filmmakers decided to opt out of making a direct biographical drama on the life of 44th President Barack Obama, and instead chose to focus on a pivotal moment in both the ex-president and former first lady's life. The filmmakers shape the story to feel like a romantic drama with the plot focusing on their fateful real-life date, which led to their eventual marriage as well as them becoming one of the strongest couples in political history. Instead of delving into the young life and politics centering around Barack Obama's two-term presidency, the film takes a more intimate approach with the blossoming of a strong romance that would ultimately shape and mold both parties lives with the rest being history. Southside With You serves as being a charming and sweet look at the young lives of Barack and Michelle Obama with their fateful first date being being both an engaging as well as an empowering experience for the audience.
The plot for Southside With You focuses on a 1989 summer afternoon first date with future President Of The United States Barack Obama, as well as future First Lady Michelle Obama (Then named Robinson), with both sharing stories centering around each others upbringing while exploring Chicago's South Side and catching a screening of Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing. For those who've seen the iconic Before Sunrise, Sunset, and Before Midnight trilogy which centered around a pair of fateful lovers meeting as well as spending a short period of time together with their romance blossoming into something that feels both passionate and real, Southside With You will give those viewers flashbacks as its story strongly resembles those films in regards to its design and overall story-structure. What could've ultimately ended up being a straight-forward and bland presidential biopic surprises audiences with its desire to take a different approach in regards to honoring its main subjects. The film feels more like an ideal date night flick to watch with one's significant other rather than a presidential biopic, that would be shown in a history class. While that may appear to be a direct criticism of the films chosen time setting, it's more of an acknowledgment of the fact that it took a different approach in depicting its real-life historical figures. To some, it may appear as being awkward that Barack and Michelle's first date was chosen as the main focus for the story but when looking at the way the film perfectly characterizes the two characters, it comes across as being both a smart and brilliant move as so much is conveyed between the two through their simple date. The film works as not just being strictly about their spontaneous romance, but also serves as an eye-opening reflection regarding the status of race in America. Although the film is set in 1989, the social themes and issues explored within its script pertain to today's society with both Barack and Michelle exchanging dialogue in which they reveal the challenges they face in trying to be successful in America as black individuals. Southside With You is not a typical presidential biopic nor does it set out to be as such, but where it succeeds and thrives at is celebrating a romance between two beloved people, that's built upon genuine affection as well as pure devotion to one another while exploring the idea of what it means to be black in America.
Despite the films sincere and intimate approach to telling its story, it's the strength of the main leads in regards to delivering their performances that ultimately make it work as well as it does. Both Parker Sawyer's and Tika Sumpter deliver fantastic performances as young Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson, with them both convincingly and flawlessly nailing their characters personas and mannerisms. Not only do both feel perfectly casted in their roles, they also share tremendous chemistry on screen. Parker Sawyer's performance as young Barack Obama feels inspired with him brilliantly conveying the appropriate mannerisms and tone of the real-life figure. He presents young Obama as being a charming, well-educated and smooth-talking individual whose bent on winning Michelle's heart on what he considers to be their first date. Sawyer does wonderfully with making his character likable along with giving audiences a glimpse of the type of person Obama was before entering the realm of politics. While Sawyer's performance is spot-on, it's the work of Tika Sumpter that stands out with her playing a guarded and resistant Michelle Robinson. Sumpter does terrific with portraying her character as being a compassionate and smart individual, who desires of making a difference in her community along with the lives of women. Her character comes across as being strong-willed, but also aware of the social barriers she crosses on a daily basis in terms of being her own person outside of work while changing her persona up to fit in with a more corporate version of America. Her character also plays a song and dance game with Sawyer's in terms of her not believing that both her and Barack are on a date while understating the obvious. It is however, the strength of the two main leads as well as their devotion to nailing their real-life individuals personas, that give the film the spark needed to make their simple date such a sweet and ultimately engaging experience for the audience. The chemistry that Sawyer and Sumpter present on the screen is remarkable, and helps a great deal of heart to the story along with a genuine thrill that the audience knows how their spontaneous first date will end.
Directed by Richard Tanne in his impressive feature film directorial debut, he does a solidly effective job of keeping the story grounded on a personal level. It becomes apparent while watching the movie that Tanne has a great amount of respect as well as affection for the relationship the Obama's hold as he clearly wants to safeguard their personal love story, but also present it in a fashion that's larger-than-life on the big screen. He gives the film an approach that feels both intimate and sincere with an atmosphere that comes across as feeling inviting for the audience into the lives of the Obama's before their turn into politics. Although the film carries with it a short running time of 84 minutes, the story is moved at a rather steady pace that allows for the characters of Barack and Michelle to be properly established, while making the progression of their romance feel natural despite taking place over the course of one day. Tanne gives the film strong cinematography, that presents the story in both a crisp and bright look which makes it feel like summertime. He also utilizes exterior shots in capturing those pivotal moments where the main actors deliver exchanges or looks, that showcase emotion as well as affection for each other. The films costume and set design both go hand-in-hand in transporting audiences back to 1989, along with showing the South Side to be a less wealthy and more poverished side of Chicago. The movies soundtrack is both well-handled and effective in regards to driving home the 80's setting of the story with Janet Jackson's hit song from the time period Miss You Much playing in the background during the films opening sequence. As far as the films directing goes, Richard Tanne succeeds in presenting a feel good and sweet romance to audiences that not only is charming to watch, but is well-crafted with him putting his full talent on display. He allows his main leads enough freedom to become their historical counterparts with him keeping a steady yet gentle hand on the films story-structure and overall narrative. On a technical note, he manages to make the film appealing while letting both the main actors as well as the story speak for itself.
The films screenplay also by Tanne is smartly-written with the narratives primary focus being on the romance between young Barack and Michelle, while incorporating social themes and issues that are relevant in today's society such as curiosity, courage, empathy, and coming into one's own. The script is essentially a story about two young and bright people forming a strong connection with each other with them both trying to understand the world around them. The screenplay is heavily worded but the dialogue given to the main leads serves as being both thought-provoking and intelligent. Examples are scenes in which Barack and Michelle confide in each other about what it means to be black in America. Michelle's character is given dialogue in which she reveals the struggle she feels in regards to working twice as hard at her law firm both as a female and as a black woman having to leave one side of her identity behind outside of work in order to embrace a more successful person that fits along corporate lines. The audience is also given insight of Obama's past such as the anger he holds towards his father for not being there as evidenced by his conversation with Michelle prior to them watching Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing. The audience is also shown moments where young Obama is revealed as being an effective speaker such as him speaking to a church congregation regarding their frustration over the lack of funding they requested to help improve their neighborhood. Whereas the audience appears to be visibly frustrated, Obama's manages to instill both reassurance and hope with his words of wisdom. His influence on others is also shown as one of the mothers of a church reveal to Michelle that Obama's encouraging of her son to join the Navy paid off with him actually doing so. These moments are significant in the film because it gives both Michelle as well as the audience, the essence of who Barack is as well as giving early glimpses of him being both an effective and motivational speaker. His character also admits that he desires to obtain some type of civil rights or leadership which thrills the audience because they know what inevitably comes later down the road with the Obama's. The script also gives moments where racial division is evident such as the scenes involving Barack and Michelle watching Do The Right Thing in theaters and the aftermath where they run into one of their white colleagues from work with him showing visible frustration at Spike Lee's character throwing the trash can through the window of a shop he worked at in the film. Whereas his questioning shows a lack of understanding of what's happening in the film, Obama manages to give him a different angle of what that scene represents to make him better understand what was happening. The script for Southside With You may play out like a typical romance, but it's well thought out and explores the state of race relations in America while focusing its main story around young love.
The best thing that can be said about Southside With You is how down to earth and relatable both its story and characters feel. One doesn't necessarily have to be a fan of the Obama's politically to have both respect as well as admiration for them and their undying love. While some audiences may be confused by the selected timeline for their biography and wish that the movie focused more on their run for political office, others will appreciate the gentle and admirable approach that director Richard Tanne took with wanting to explore the personal side of the Obama's while giving audiences the essence of who both Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson are. The film comes across as feeling completely (And perhaps overly) respectful with it often feeling a bit safe at times in telling its story, but the enthusiasm and passion behind its production is undeniable. The performances by both leads are phenomenal with one hoping that both actors become stars down the road, along with Tanne continuing to expand his strengths as both a writer and director. The film easily goes down as being one of 2016's best and most underappreciated films, and essentially serves as being a fitting send-off for the Obama's on the cinematic side. The film serves as being a clever combination of wittiness and satire with the film showing the back and forth between the main characters in regards to whether or not they're actually on a date, and the multiple conversations both have regarding the racism they experience with Michelle's character bearing the heavier testimony. The film is every bit a romantic flick as it is a biographical drama, but it's how the two genres are meshed together that make it standout as being effective and ultimately an uplifting and feel good experience. Whereas the film expresses the vulnerabilities that many people of color feel when being at the mercy of others, it also serves as being both an empowering and moving experience that's best summed up as being a celebration of true love, as well as taking pride in ones culture. For a film that wishes to honor it's real-life historical figures, one can't think of a better way to show adoration for their partnership than giving audiences a glimpse of their enduring love.
Final Verdict: For romance fans as well as those who enjoy solid biographical dramas, Southside Of You is a must see with it being solidly-filmed, charming, and ultimately inspirational with it's end message regarding love and appreciating ones culture and upbringing.
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