Before they were the President and First Lady, Barack Obama (Parker Sawyers) and Michelle Robinson (Tika Sumpter) were two twenty-somethings working in a prestigious law firm who went on a first "not a date" in their native Chicago.
With a subject like the first date of Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson, it's easy to be immediately dismissive. In other words, how can they honestly make a film out of it? Is it going to be interesting enough to keep anyone's interest, outside of politicos? Nevertheless, Southside With You offers a look into the personal life of the world's most powerful couple in a time when they were anything but.
Barack Obama (Sawyers) is a summer intern at a prestigious law firm in Chicago, whose taken an interest in his adviser, Michelle Robinson (Tika Sumpter). The two are due to head over to a community meeting and Obama, somewhat deviously, tells Robinson that it isn't for another few hours and hopes to endear himself to her. She angrily admonishes him for not being truthful with him and explains that, both as a woman and a person of colour, it's doubly hard for her to be taken seriously in the law firm in which they work. Nevertheless, they continue on and share their experiences with a surprising amount of honesty before heading off to the community meeting.
Essentially, the film is Before Sunrise: Obama Edition and the film has the same sense of ease, charm and wit to it. Both Sawyers and Sumpter understand immediately that their performances can't be just impressions of Barack and Michelle, there has to be something relatable there for people to latch on to. More than anything, the performances are as understated and realistic as anything in Richard Linklater's work and Richard Tanne's direction is light and unhindered. The screenplay, as well, doesn't highlight or give any foreshadowing to what's ahead for both of them. Instead, it's just two people, figuring each other out and talking about their favourite music, their previous relationships and so on.
At just under 90 minutes, Southside With You works as a sparkly, smart little date movie with two astute performances by Sawyers and Sumpter and a light touch from writer-director Tanne.