Southside with You

Once you get over the weirdness of the fact that you're watching a movie about Barack and Michelle Obama's first date, this is an utterly charming and smart movie. I'm not sure how much of this is based on fact and how much of it is imagined (I assume most of the biographical details were fished out of Obama's autobiographies), but it imagines the two in their late 20s in Chicago in 1989. She doesn't want it to be a date, but he clearly does, so they do the dance. The film characterizes both Barack and Michelle beautifully - it's easy to momentarily forget who these people will become and just see them as complex human beings. The film is also one of the best about race in America - it doesn't shy away from those issues at all, and has a lot of intelligent discourse on the subject (it's quite disappointing that the writer/director is a white man, but thankfully he is a smart, sensitive white man). Saving the best for last, man, do the two leads, Tika Sumpter and Parker Sawyers, knock it out of the park. Sawyers nails not only the way the future President speaks, but also his fantastic charisma. Sumpter may not quite come off as a perfect copy of Michelle, but she builds the character beautifully. Definitely one of the year's best films.

If you did not enjoy this film...well...you're probably a Republican. Seriously, though, a movie that manages to turn ubiquitous public figures into protagonists (and complex protagonists, no less)? That is something. It was more than impersonation or caricature...it was a love story. And there was something hopeful about encountering these two before everything changed. It was not without flaws, but it brought a smile to my face.

I saw this film yesterday and I was pleasantly surprised. I thought the actors captured the essence of the Obamas wonderfully; what they may have lacked in appearance they certainly had in spirit.

The movie that kept popping into my head while watching Southside With You was My Dinner with Andre. Now some may find that a stretch but really it's not. It's been a long time since I've watch two adults on screen having a conversation for ninety minutes. I found the conversation interesting and compelling. (The other movie that comes to mind is Mind Walk)

A lot of folks will skip this film because it lacks over-the-top drama, action and violence. This movie is for a mature audience but for different reasons. It is insightful and intelligent and you'll be glad that you saw if indeed you do.

There wasn't much to this film, so I'll be brief. "Southside with You" wasn't really what I expected it to be. It wasn't bad and it wasn't good. It was just a simple love story with powerful messages running through it, which is a good thing. I thought there would be more to this film like a lot of romantic drama and a more complex story involving the two main characters which could have built up into the present relationship they have now. I think the writer / director created this film more as a tool to spread valuable lessons rather than making it for entertainment. In that sense, it reminded me of the film "The Nativity Story", a film about the events of Mary and Joseph that led up to the birth of Christ, which was a film I thought, was made primarily to convey a message rather than entertain. The acting from Parker Sawyers and Tika Sumpter was good. Parker Sawyers actually reminded me of Barak Obama with his performance and the Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing" scene was fitting. In my opinion this isn't the kind of film you should expect a lot out of, but what can be taken out of the lessons it presents is a good thing.

This film tells the story of how Barack Obama meets Michelle, his future wife, in the Southside of Chicago. They work in the same law firm, meet up for a day of activities, and get to know each other better.

"Southside with You" reminds me of the "Before Sunrise" series, where two people walk around and talk all the time. People say this kind of film is romantic, but I find them very boring. "Southside with You" is very similar, but with one slight difference - it showcases how brilliant and clever Obama is, and hence he wins Michelle's tough and seemingly impenetrable heart. I cannot say I enjoyed the film so much, though I am impressed by how eloquent Obama is portrayed to be. Having this film made around this time makes people wonder whether there is any political reason for it. To sum up, I do not think this is my type of film.