Southside with You (2016)

After meeting people who actually grew up with the characters and hearing what their lives were really like, this was 100% fabricated. Not at all believable. I would not waste my time or my money. I cannot figure out why any producer would place their money on this movie. It was sappy and unreal in almost every way. The characters did not accurately portray the real people in any way. Not physically, not in gesture or in persona. It was so fake and so phony it almost appears to be political propaganda material. I prefer to watch biographical movies that are at least based on some sort of reality. If I want to watch fiction, I will go to a fictional movie. We had to leave the theater before it was over. Truly horrible.

Fmovies: 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. Too fake and "robotic" to my taste.

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 film just lacks a lot of focus on what it wants to really be and how much of the story it wants to tell.

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. There chemistry is quite incompatible and makes for a fun and engaging experience to see portrayed on the screen.

But good chemistry can't save a pretty meh script and pretty average directing done by Richard Tanne. 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

Southside with You fmovies. This is one of the worst films I've ever seen. And it's not that it's about the Obamas, or that it's political (it's not), or even that it is almost unbelievable (in spite of the fact that everything really did happen at some point). 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. The movie spans one afternoon and evening. There's no conflict, there's no character development, there's no new information. The actors are well cast, and they do the best they can with what they're given. That may make for a sweet photo montage, but it doesn't tell a story (which has already been told many times anyway). Even if every incident depicted happened in the space of one day (which they almost certainly did not), no one would believe it. If there is one cliché that was missed, there was no place left to put it. If there was room for one more tracking shot, the audience would fall asleep. In short, if you are head-over-heels in love with the Obamas, you may love this outing. Otherwise....

Richard Tanne's 'Southside with You' is a pleasant surprise. A Small Little Gem, that's both charming & engrossing. 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. You watch & observe them. Its all heart. 'Southside with You' is a love-story, but it also covers themes of racism & how America was back in the late 1980's. Although done subtly, the message is out loud and clear. Obama's Voice for equality & patience, is shown in great strength & it also shows us a leader who later came into power, because he knew the drill.

Tanne's Screenplay is excellent. The Writing is of Superior Quality. Not for a minute, does the Writing take a dip, its consistently crisp. Tanne's Direction, too, is superb. He's handled the film with precision. Cinematography is perfect. Editing is neat, culminating the film within a sharp 84-minutes. 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. Parker is a revelation, channeling Obama with grit & tenderness. Tika is a live-wire, She portrays Michelle, with unmistakably honesty. Both the actors, deserve more work in the movies. They've got the stuff.

On the whole, 'Southside with You' is Magnificent. Don't dare to miss it.

And yes, I do miss the America when Obama was President!

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.