The most powerful couple in the world is given the big screen treatment, on the story of their union’s origins, in “Southside With You”. First time writer and director Richard Tanne crafts a love story for the ages, with the two protagonists front and center being the current first family of the United States. Young up-and-coming associate Barack Obama (Parker Sawyers) tries to win the heart of a young lawyer, Michelle Robinson (Tika Sumpter) in Chicago in 1989. Michelle is Barack’s boss, but his honest intentions for the young fire-starter shines through, leaving his feelings for her on the table to take a risky chance. On their first date, they visit the Art Institute of Chicago, view a screening of Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing”, and have their first kiss outside an ice cream parlor. Through each minute together, Michelle feels a sense of comfort, and what follows is the brick-by-brick building of a real rags-to-riches storyline for the ages. “Southside With You” is rated PG-13 for brief strong language, smoking, a violent image and a drug reference.

“Southside With You” is the very definition of date movie. It’s sweet, charming, and funny, while crafting two wonderful protagonists before our very eyes. Going into this movie, a lot of people are going to have difficulties separating their political bias from enabling them to have a legitimately good time with this movie, but I found it to be quite endearing not only as a biopic, but as a romantic genre offering that gets its characters and story correct. If you allow yourself to accept this as just a movie between two enjoyable characters, then Tanne’s script will wrap itself around yours and a significant other’s heart with a brief presentation. At 76 measly minutes, the movie doesn’t have a lot of depth in terms of storytelling conflict or depth in detail. It’s a movie that cuts out the romantic cliches that are poisoning the genre full of predictability, and instead focuses on offering a softer side of the heart for the mature audience who seeks it out.

Some of my favorite qualities about this movie was the ability to lose myself in the characters, and see them as something more than what we know them as today. Any great biopic not only is able to satisfy the thirst for knowledge from its audience in matters that they were totally clueless about, but also to transform itself beyond the rules and treat these characters as two human beings. Honestly, if more romantic genre films were written this honestly and human to how we view modern romance, the genre itself wouldn’t be my most despised, and maybe we could focus some depth on the one-dimensional characters that plague those movies. The production value definitely removed any thought from my mind that this film would play out like a Made-for-TV-movie. Tanne focuses the cinematography on soft, subtle lighting that really paints a journey of innocence along the way for these two work colleagues. In addition to this, we get some sharp editing that feels fully capable of the directions the creativity is heading for the story. Nothing here ever overstays its welcome or feels dragging in the slightest, and that element makes this one a very easy watch, as opposed to some biopics that can feel quite crowded.

One critique that I had about the screenplay was a second act that doesn’t feel like it’s fully invested in just keeping this just as a romantic charmer. Even romance films need additional material to fill in the holes, but this movie turns political fast during the second act, and I honestly could’ve done without this aspect of the story. We know who Barack and Michelle are today, so why even venture down this road? I, along with others I’m sure, are here to witness the moment that these two fell head-over-heels in love with each other, and I think that keeping it between that status quo is where the movie feels the smoothest. I also feel like the setting of a single day limits what this movie can indulge in creatively. One day movies are typically better for fictional films, so by focusing on only a single day of this duo, we lack any kind of conflict or struggle within their union. This movie could’ve used some edgy content, but it stays squeaky clean throughout three acts that always feels pretty conventional. That’s not to say that I wasn’t enjoying myself, but I think a chemistry of this couple deserves a lot more than a single day. Without widening the time frame, the movie can only make things so entertaining, and I would’ve liked to see some kind of force keeping them apart.

Major props to casting director Tracy Bird on merging the physical features of real life and film, with some of the best appearance casting I have ever seen. I don’t bring up the casting director often in my reviews, but Bird clearly knows what goes into a biopic, after honorable casting in “Notorious”, “Fruitvale Station”, and “Aaliyah: Princess of R&B”. She has a great eye for detail in the real life figures she takes on, and her work in this film might be her brightest calling card to date. Parker Sawyers simply must be Barack’s long lost brother. I will accept no other explanation. There were times in the movie when the camera is focused on a shadow outline of Sawyers, and I swore that I was watching the actual Barack. Not that you need to squint or stand far away to subdue your doubt about this man because he has every physical feature to a tee. What’s great about his personal performance however, is that it never feels like an imitation. He’s not doing Barack Obama, he IS Barack Obama, and the resemblance becomes more than simply uncanny early on. Tika Sumpter is also a strong choice for the first lady. Sumpter’s facial features aren’t as head-on as Sawyers, but her resemblance comes in the attitude and power of a young Michelle that leaves her imposing against anyone who crosses her. She never comes off as rude or arrogant, quite the opposite actually. Sumpter magnifies as a beautiful black woman during a time when America was vitally searching for one. The chemistry between Sumpter and Sawyers leaves little doubt that the casting got it entirely correct for once, and Bird’s commitment for getting it right is Oscar worthy.

“Southside With You” does hit a minor speedbump during a second act that strays away from the charming ambiance of two leads that really lay it all on the line. However, the overall presentation is too sweet and intriguing not to respect this story. Whether you are Democrat, Republican or Independent, Tanne’s imagining adapts well to the silver screen, proving that behind every great man is a great woman who he can’t live without.

7/10