In Richard Tanne’s latest film, Southside With You, Tika Sumpter and Parker Sawyers are tremendously cast as a young Michelle and Barack Obama. Set in Chicago in 1989, this walkabout romance flick spans only the length of one day — the day that this future President and First Lady had their first date. As a date movie, this film unavoidably held the potential to be chalked full of clichés and cornball moments, but successfully evaded such tropes and managed to be unique while retaining a sweet and convincing romance that allows both Michelle and Barack’s real-life personalities to shine through. Sumpter excellently portrays the quick-witted, fiery, and inspirationally passionate Michelle that we’ve all come to know over the past eight years, and Sawyers nails the smooth-talking, radiantly intelligent and compassionate Barack. Not to mention, the physical resemblance of each actor to their character is startling.
No matter what your political views may be, they are worth setting aside for the 80 minutes of this understated and deeply humanizing romance that, in the end, is inarguably a true and endearing love story above anything else.
The film will be released August 26th, 2016, and you can check out a preview for it here:
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