Southside with You
Tags: romantic, historical

Plot synopsis:
It is the summer of 1989 in Chicago, Illinois. Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson are getting ready for not a date. She's been very clear that this is not a date, despite him asking her to go on a date almost since the beginning of his summer internship at the corporate law firm where she is a second-year associate, and his advisor. She maintains that it would be inappropriate and a distraction if the two of them went out on a date, so although they are planning to spend time together, it is definitely not a date.Michelle prepares carefully, working to look her best. She lives with her family, and her mother and father tease her about making herself look pretty for not a date. She replies curtly but lovingly that they taught her to always look her best, and maintains that its not a date its a community meeting that sounded interesting, so they are going to it together, but that's it.Barack prepares almost not at all. He is smoking in his cluttered apartment, talking to his grandmother on the phone about the woman hes going to see. She tells him he needs to get going in order not to be late, and he tells her it will be fine, but eventually he hangs up, throws on a dress shirt (no tie) and heads out to his car, a beat-up Datsun Sentra. He smokes nervously in the car until he pulls up near Michelle's house, takes two quick puffs on a cigarette, puts it out, sprays breath spray into his mouth, and then around the car, and heads out to pick her up.He finds Michelle outside her house; he never meets her family. She says that hes late. He says that he was hoping she wouldn't notice. She says that he was late for his first day as an intern at the law firm. He comments sheepishly that she noticed that too. She points out that as his advisor, its her job to notice. She says that they should get to the community meeting, but he says that they have time several hours, in fact, and he was hoping they could go to the museum to see an art exhibit first. Shes mildly upset at this, but he assures her that if she says its not a date, then its not a date until she says it is, and she agrees to go. When she gets in the car, she notices the cigarettes in the ash tray, and a hole in the floorboard. She can see the street beneath her feet.On the way to the museum, they discuss a case at work, where a motion in court has failed. Barack asks if Michelle is upset that the motion failed, and she replies that shes glad it failed. Shes frustrated because she said six months earlier that the motion would fail, and in her mind, the firm wasted six months of effort making the motion because a senior partner didn't listen to her advice to not file the motion in the first place. Barack asks if its really the law firms partners shes frustrated with.At the museum, Barack points out the art of Ernie Barnes. Michelle expresses surprise that he would know anything about art. He responds by describing the history and technique of Ernie Barness art at length, mentioning how it was used in the TV show Good Times, and how it represents African-American culture.Barack gets lunch for them, and they eat sandwiches in a park. Michelle insists on paying him for lunch since this is not a date. After, Barack offers her a slice of pie, saying that its the best, but Michelle doesn't like pie; she likes ice cream chocolate. Barack is surprised that anyone could not like pie, but then says that he doesn't like ice cream, which surprises Michelle. He explains that he worked at a Baskin-Robbins as a youth and pretty much ate his fill of ice cream. Michelle is surprised that Hawaii has Baskin-Robbins, and Barack points out that it is one of the fifty states.They talk about Barack's background: how his white mother married his Kenyan father, but they separated shortly after his birth; how his father wasn't present for his childhood; how his father didn't finish anything in his life, and died in Kenya. Barack is obviously angry with his father.On the way to the community meeting, the topic of Michelle's frustration with the firm comes up again. Barack again suggests that Michelle isn't really upset with the firm, but this time, he goes further. He says that Michelle isn't upset with the firm, since the firm is just doing exactly what it is supposed to do. Instead, he suggests that she is upset with herself for working at the firm instead of doing something more valuable for the community. He says that he knows she wants to do more important work, work that helps people, and that the real source of her frustration is that she has sold out working at the corporate firm. Michelle replies angrily that he is guilty of the same sell-out: he's going to school at Harvard, and his internship is at the same corporate law firm. He is taken aback and apologizes.The two arrive at the community meeting, where Barack is greeted warmly by everyone. One woman sits next to Michelle and describes how her son wanted to be a sailor since he was young, but living on the south side of Chicago, that dream was nearly extinguished. But Barack, she says, would talk to her son about it every time he visited, acting as a father figure to the youth. The woman proudly shows Michelle a picture of her son in a U.S. Sailors outfit, saying that he is in the Navy, visiting all sorts of places and living his dream because of Barack.The topic for the day is the failed attempt to get city approval and funding for a community center. Everyone is upset because they put in so much effort with nothing to show for it. The speaker, a young man and friend of Barack's, is having a hard time keeping the crowd together on the topic. Eventually, in near desperation, he gives the floor to Barack, who proceeds to mesmerize the crowd. He says that they have to keep working to figure out how to get what they want. He says that there are city council members who want to help them, but asks why they don't. Eventually, someone in the audience suggests that maybe its because the city council members think the outcome is already determined, and they don't want to waste their time on a lost cause. Barack leaps on that idea and points out that the first speaker has funding commitments for the community center, which is more than they had when they first put in the proposal. He says that they have to look at the situation from the council members point of view, which is something that a good friend (he nods to Michelle) taught him just that day.When they leave the community meeting, Michelle accuses Barack of knowing that he would speak at the meeting, casting himself in a good light for their not a date. Barack admits that he had a good idea that he would be speaking, but laughs it off, and Michelle seems okay with it.The two have dinner and discuss their history further, including their religious beliefs both profess to have no formal religion, but to be spiritual. Barack describes how he spent time in Indonesia with his mother before moving back to Hawaii to live with his grandparents. He admits to smoking a lot of marijuana in high school. He describes how he dated a white woman for two years in college, but says that when he went to meet her family, even though they were welcoming toward him, he just didn't see himself fitting in. Michelle describes how her grandfather was unwilling to go into debt to help finance her fathers education, so he didn't finish college and had to take a manual labor job, but rose through the ranks to become a supervisor. He now has MS (Multiple Sclerosis), which is one of the reasons why Michelle is living at home.The two go to see Spike Lees Do the Right Thing. They both enjoy it greatly, sharing popcorn. During the pivotal scene where the police kill Radio Raheem, Michelle is startled and reflexively takes Barack's hand. On their way out, Barack stops to use the restroom, while Michelle walks outside. She runs into a partner from her law firm, who also saw the movie with his wife. He comments on how inappropriate it was for Mookie to start a riot, and Michelle blankly nods, furtively glancing into the theater, hoping Barack won't come out yet. But Barack arrives just then. Michelle awkwardly tries to explain that they are not on a date, but that they had a community meeting to go to and just happened to go to the movie together. The partner again expresses his disapproval of Mookie's actions. Barack smoothly suggests that Mookie was actually trying to save Sal's life had he not directed the angry mobs violence toward the pizzeria, they would have turned on Sal himself, and likely killed him. The partner is impressed with Barack's insight and compliments him to both his wife and Michelle, and tells Michelle to be sure Barack has a positive experience at the firm.After the partner and his wife leave, Barack expresses his true opinion: that Mookie was simply angry. Michelle rounds on Barack and angrily tells him that this is exactly why she didn't want to go out with him. She says that on Monday morning, the two of them will be the talk of the firm, and her position there will be ruined. He lets her wind down and then agrees to take her home. On the way, he stops the car. Shes puzzled until she sees him walk into an ice cream shop. He comes out with a chocolate cone her favorite and she gets out of the car and sits by him while she eats it in silence. Eventually, she allows that the ice cream is good, and asks him if he wants a taste. He agrees, and slowly leans in and kisses her. He then takes her home.

Review: The film takes place over a day in the life of a young Michelle Robinson (Sumpter) and a young Barack Obama (Sawyers) as they go on a first date.
That's basically it; our first film fictionalization of President Barack Obama is not some big epic nor a under-the-radar satire.
No, this film is basically Before Sunrise (1995) without the sexual tension.As our two leads, Tika Sumpter and Parker Sawyers are dead-ringers to the current occupants of the White House; down to their mannerisms, speech patterns and general way about them.
Within the first five minutes we know that we're going to spend our time with interesting people because their resumes were pretty much announced like they were on a dating show.
He likes pie and hates ice cream.As they get to know each other, the poorly concealed wounds of an absent father and a bi-racial upbringing keep the drama alive though for the most part writer/director Richard Tanne goes through great pains to make Obama look like the patron Saint of Chicago's southside.
Cue the heartfelt speech about working together and not judging people before you get to know them; and kiss in three, two...Now apparently a lot of the events of the film are true to life.
Barack Obama was a summer associate at the law firm Michelle was working at and Michelle did initially refuse to go on a date with him.
If ever there was an example of a true story that isn't interesting enough to be a movie, this is clearly it; especially given the "will they or won't they" tension that actually makes movies like these bearable is absent.Southside with You is an innocent, easily digestible and easily forgettable puff piece on the level of a Teen Beat article asking Sasha who her favorite One Direction member is.
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 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.
It's hard to believe that anyone would even try to film two (adult) actors actually talking with each other...not just for a few moments, but...virtually the whole movie [97%].
Maybe to actually follow Michelle and Barack various moments in time / day in the life etc.We now know how B.O. got her attention, but...what was the next critical relationship pivot...?Great concept and...brilliant "...capturing a moment in time" writing..
It's that the producer-writer-director is so obviously infatuated with the Obamas that he ended up making a movie which comes off as one big, fat, sloppy kiss.
Southside with You tries to tell the romantic story of Obama and Michelle's relationship by giving us a deep look into the lives of the future best family in the U.S, but sadly it falters a bit as it tries to make the romance interesting with thought provoking debates about the world and there clashing ideals.
The acting is actually the best part of the film as Tika Sumpter and Parker Sawyers really try there best to the weak script compelling and interesting to see.
The film just can't engage you enough and instead feels dull and also really boring to watch as well.Overall Southside by You tries to be interesting but misses the mark.
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.
Having this film made around this time makes people wonder whether there is any political reason for it.
And if you even thought watching the former U.S President & His Wife/Former First Lady going on their first date as a rather uninteresting concept for a film ...think again!'Southside with You' Synopsis: The film chronicles the summer 1989 afternoon when the future President of the United States, Barack Obama, wooed his future First Lady, Michelle Obama, on a first date across Chicago's South Side.'Southside with You' is a delightful tale of 2 people who went on to create history.
Art & Costume Design are perfectly done.Performance-Wise: Parker Sawyers and Tika Sumpter as a young Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson, respectively, bring in their A-Game.
The production and photography are very good, so you can see that a considerable amount of money was spent in this film.It has good moments, good acting also, but at the end it becomes clear that as a propaganda movie for Michelle Obama to run as the democrat candidate in 2020.
Everyone knows how popular Mrs. Obama is, and the movie was made to show other sides of her in a wave of appeals to emotion and tries very hard to make her larger than life, the perfection goal to all human beings.And that's the moment when it lost me.
The movie becomes something you would see in a TV commercial that has that voice at the end saying "Michelle Obama approves this ad".Well, that's it, didn't like it.
Just recently i saw another very good movie about Barack Obama "Barry", which was a fascinating character study film.
"Southside" is more of a romantic film, but it also has some good character study elements.
Because "Barry" took place in 1981 and this movie takes place in 1989, watching "Southside with You" i couldn't shake a feeling that i'm watching a sequel to "Barry".Acting by both two leads were incredibly good, even great.
Parker Sawyers who has big resemblance to Barack Obama simply embodies him - this is an amazing performance and chemistry between the two were superb.
It was just about a random women preparing to go out with a college from work, then you discover she's Michelle Robinson and her colleague is Barack Obama.It was the best first date every caught on picture.
Brilliantly played by Parker Sawyers, Barry O is easy to parody, but Sawyers was able to really capture the man without doing that.What I also liked about the movie is what it told me about Michelle Robinson, a strong black woman also trying to find her way in life.
Tika Sumpter did a good job show casing a career orientated woman focus on being more than just the black woman at her law firm and feeling a relationship with Obama would change that.
Although the summer of 1989 is a long way from the events of 2016, the story of Barack and Michelle's first time out together will be seen by many through their own political lens.
Barack (Parker Sawyers) is an intern at a corporate law firm finishing his studies and Michelle (Tika Sumpter) is his adviser who aspires to senior lawyer ranks.
Largely due to its very fine acting, Southside with You works as a very believable slice of life / moment in time film that compels the audience to silently cheer for the two future love birds who would happen to become,in part through their sincere and committed partnership, the most powerful man on earth and a widely admired First Lady.
But giving the film a little slack, knowing it's a semi-bio pic, the dialogue and modest action remained believable with the feel of that relatable first date "getting to know you" sensibility.
Of course, one's political views are likely to affect the movie goers' receptivity to the film, especially during this divisive election year.
Unlike the real-time effect of the breakout television series "24" that had the advantage of being an action series, Southside with You has the difficult challenge of being an actual "date" movie about what is supposedly a "date" over a period of a single day depending on who is telling the story.
Another surprising element of this movie is the personalization of two major real life people, supposedly which the American public should know a lot about, but apparently they don't.
The overall experience is amazing in that audience members get to experience a personal visceral date-like emotional event that is often left out of most romantic drama films.Southside with You is filled with a sometimes stinging parley of dialogue between the leads, a subtle physical attraction, political commentary, as well as speech-making in difficult times and places.
A small conversation piece taking place on a single afternoon and evening, depicting a "first date" of an attractive couple who happen to be working in the same office during the day.
After watching and liking 'the other Obama film' of 2016, I must say I was let down by this..
Although the 2 films were made by completely different people and studios, comparisons between 'Barry (2016)' and 'Southside With You (2016)' is inevitable.Both movies are about Barack Obama, the former 'Barry (2016)' was about his younger days in college as a angsty young man (before Michelle came into the picture) in search for an identity, a film which I very much enjoyed.
And it's all in all not very interesting.And I have to say I found Michelle Obama as a character in the film rather annoying and self-centered, Barack was acceptable but he failed in comparison to the actor who played him in 'Barry'.Perhaps if you are really intrigued by Michelle and Barack as a couple it will be interesting for me, but I can't say I am personally so it's a miss for me..
Watching this movie brought me closer to the life of Mr. and Mrs. Obama, the beautiful couple.
A must watch if you like movies with deep real life conversations.
Anyways, "Southside With You" is a splendid, dialogue-orientated film that focuses on Barrack and Michelle's first date on a hot, summer Chicago day in 1989.
Writer-Director Richard Tanne nicely handles the movie on the verbal interaction within our main protagonists, and foreshadows the communicative talents of who would be the future President and First Lady.
Parker Sawyers gives a presidential first-rate performance as the young Barack, and Tika Sumpter will make you think "She is Michelle" from the start in her turn as the future Mrs. Obama.
The viewer is a fly on the wall and along for the ride on Barack Obama's and Michelle Robinson's first date.
I don't normally like biopics of living subjects as I think you have to let time pass to truly measure a historical figure, but this is not a movie about Barack and Michelle Obama, the president and first lady, it is about a pair of young unknown young professionals making a go of it in Chicago and trying to squeeze in romance while trying to climb the corporate ladder.
'SOUTHSIDE WITH YOU': Four Stars (Out of Five)A romantic drama biopic, based on the true story of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama's first date (if you can call it that).
The film stars Parker Sawyers, as the future President, and Tika Sumpter (who you may remember from the 'RIDE ALONG' movies), as the future First Lady.
A young business associate, named Barack Obama (Sawyers), takes a young lawyer, named Michelle Robinson (Sumpter), out for the afternoon.
Barack tries to court her, the entire time, but Michelle insists it's not a date; since the two work together (and she thinks it would be inappropriate).
Sumpter, on the other hand, looks nothing like Michelle Obama; and her performance reminded me nothing of the First Lady either.
Throughout this movie I really felt like I was watching the early years and getting a feel for where the POTUS and FLOTUS were in their personal and professional development at that time.
Richard Tanne writes and directs his first feature film based on the would-be president Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson's first date during the summer of '89 in Chicago.
It is in fact difficult to watch without thinking of the courting couple as already Husband and Wife, and world leaders The opening credits doesn't really match the film or the promotional poster that accompany the movie, adding a funky eighties style, something you might expect from an eighties movie or TV series, however, I suppose it helps sets time to a not-to-distant history.
This could be a massive breakthrough for Parker Sawyers, who plays the ambitious, intelligent and charming Barack Obama.
Barack Obama is definitely my favourite president and I'm actually sad to see him leave the White House, however, without getting too political, this film makes me like him ever more, especially showing his trait for always being late.
Tika Sumpter plays Michelle Robinson, Barack's legal mentor who was the summer associate of the same law firm.
Tanne's directions is good, plotting key locations and setting a wonderful pace and balance that reminded me a lot of Richard Linklater's "Before" films, being heavily concentrated on the script and following the conversation of the two.
The film is captivating, inspirational and a great first date movie regardless of who the key characters are.
Directed by a first timer, it tells the true story of Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson's first date back in the 1989 during working for a big law firm in Chicago.
The writer-come-director confirms all the events from his film really occurred, but not all of them in just one date.The actors were good, especially I liked Parker Sawyers as Barack Obama.
Obama fans might like it, though you could try it if you like date film in a realistic manner.
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.
There is so much that I wanted to learn about this couple and their family that the film leaves out because it only tells the story of their first date.
Writer/director Richard Tanne's "Southside With You" is a sweet, wonderful, and romantic first date film.
Great performances by its two leads, Parker Sawyers and Tika Sumpter, "Southside With You" is a rare gem.The story loosely recounts how Barack and Michelle Robinson first met in the summer of 1989.
Barack Obama (Parker Sawyers) was just a young law firm associate and Michelle Robinson (Tika Sumpter) is a tough lawyer who's supposed to mentor him.
But the long day of them hanging out together from the art institute to watching a movie ultimately leads to their first kiss.One of the many things I love about this film is that it feels so disarming, so relaxed, your guards are down because you don't have to expect some big spectacle to show up from around the corner.
There's some big themes tackled in "Soutside With You" like Michelle Robinson feeling angry because the fact that she's a woman and she's black may give her obstacles in her career, and Barack is angry at her biological father having left him and his mom, so there are deeply rooted personal issues that audiences can relate to, which makes these iconic characters all the more human, and writer/director Richard Tanne approaches in a calmed, subtle yet firm and profound manner.
Despite your political views or what you may think of President Obama's administration, when you watch "Southside With You," I guarantee you'll fall in love with it right away.-- Rama's Screen --.
Characters Worth NotingMichelle Robinson (Tika Sumpter) | Barack Obama (Parker Sawyers)Main Storyline On a warm day in Southside Chicago, a persistent young man named Barack Obama tries to win over his adviser named Michelle.
If only because we are in a time in which Michelle establishing boundaries, verbally telling Barack why they can't date, and being firm about that, should be considered the end of his pursuit.
Yet there comes a point where you are left wondering if this should be written off as how dating once was or if Barack was just lucky Michelle didn't give him a look and walk home.
Review SummaryHighlightsThis was a movie about a genuine romance and not just because it featured real living people, but because it felt like Barack's only agenda was winning Michelle over despite all her fears, doubts, and what made her apprehensive.Also, you have to admire a romantic film in which the two sides aren't your usual broken people who either use the other person as a crutch or a means for a life lesson.
Richard Tanne, Writer/Director of Southside with You, a fictional chronicle of Barack and Michelle Obama's first date, won a playwriting award as a teenager, in his home state of New Jersey.
Nonetheless, these days there are few films that depict African- Americans on a high intellectual plane—and we must be grateful to Tanne, for reminding us (through his excellent dialogue) that the majority of the American people selected Barack and Michelle Obama as our President and First Lady, precisely because they are smart, sophisticated people, deserving of our approbation today and in the future..
Tika Sumpter is a convincing Michelle and Parker Sawyer's Barack is frankly awesome.I could have done without the heavy use of meet cute clichés (especially the dreaded "she's saying no but she really means yes") but what made this film for me was the sequence in which Barack gives a pep talk to the skeptical community group.
The film is about the "first date" of Michelle Robinson (Tika Sumpter) and her underling Barrack Obama (Parker Sawyers) although I suspect it went nothing like this.
What the film does is to give us the family history of the two candidates and a look into their character, mostly good, and only a little critical.
Parker Sawyers- not so much, and I will leave it at that.The film is inspirational for Michelle Obama supporters.Guide: 1 F-word.