Southside with You

Harvard Law School student Barack Obama, while working as a summer associate at a Chicago law firm in 1989, arranges to meet Michelle Robinson, a young lawyer and his supervisor at the firm ostensibly to go to a community organizing meeting. However, when they meet in the morning, he tells her that the meeting is at 4 pm and he wants to fill the time till then getting to know each other. She is initially apprehensive because they work together, but agrees.

They visit an African art exhibition at a local art center which features an Ernie Barnes exhibit, and share stories about growing up while walking through a park. At the community organizing meeting, Obama gives a rousing speech which is well-received by the audience including Robinson. In the evening, they view a screening of Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing, and have their first kiss outside an ice cream parlor in what winds up being their first date.

{{Div col|colwidth=25em}}

• Parker Sawyers as Barack Obama
• Tika Sumpter as Michelle Robinson
• Vanessa Bell Calloway as Marian Robinson
• Phillip Edward Van Lear as Fraser C. Robinson
• Deanna Reed-Foster as Bernadette
• Jerod Haynes as Tommy
• Gabrielle Lott-Rogers as Rafiqa
• Tom McEloryn as Avery Goodman
• Taylar Fondren as Janice
• Donn Carl Harper as Curtis
• Preston Tate, Jr. as Kyle

{{Div col end}}

The original idea was developed by Richard Tanne in 2007, after which he started writing the script.{{cite news|title='Southside with You' movie tells how Barack wooed Michelle Obama|url=http://abc7chicago.com/entertainment/new-movie-tells-how-barack-wooed-michelle-obama--/889827/|access-date=July 31, 2015|work=ABC 7 Chicago|date=July 28, 2015}} On December 5, 2014, Deadline reported that there would be a romance film titled Southside with You, based on the first date of American President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama, set in Chicago, where the couple met in 1989 and married in 1992.{{cite news|last1=Yamato|first1=Jen|title=Obama Romance Movie In Works – Who Will Play Young Barack?|url=https://deadline.com/2014/12/obama-movie-first-date-cast-1201309705/|access-date=December 7, 2014|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=December 5, 2014}} Tika Sumpter would play Michelle, while no one had yet been cast in Barack's role.{{cite news|last1=McNary|first1=Dave|title=Barack and Michelle Obama's First Date Subject of New Movie|url=https://variety.com/2014/film/news/barack-and-michelle-obamas-first-date-subject-of-new-movie-1201371970/|access-date=December 8, 2014|work=Variety|date=December 5, 2014}} Tanne would make his directing debut on the film, based on his own script, and producing alongside Tika Sumpter.

On April 10, 2015, IM Global came on board to produce the film with producer Robert Teitel.{{cite news|last1=D'Alessandro|first1=Anthony|title='Jumping The Broom' Producer Joins IM Global, Obama Romance Movie First Project|url=https://deadline.com/2015/04/im-global-glendon-palmer-jumping-the-broom-obama-1201408024/|access-date=July 15, 2015|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=April 10, 2015}} In April 2015, Sumpter talked with Vulture about her preparations to play Michelle, and stated that she was "nervous" because she was about to play "Michelle Obama, who is everything every woman wants to be," and also said that she was reading some poetry and books to get to know more about Michelle, so she could portray the role better.{{cite news|last1=Soo Hoo|first1=Fawnia|title=How Do You Prepare to Play Michelle Obama?|url=https://www.vulture.com/2015/04/how-do-you-play-michelle-obama.html|access-date=July 31, 2015|work=Vulture|date=April 30, 2015}} On May 7, 2015, Parker Sawyers was cast as the young Barack Obama.{{cite news|last1=Vlessing|first1=Etan|title=Obama Romantic Dramedy Casts Actors for Barack, Michelle Roles|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/parker-sawyers-cast-as-barack-794086|access-date=July 15, 2015|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=May 7, 2015}} Producers on the film were Tanne and Sumpter, along with Teitel, through IM Global.

Principal photography on the film began on July 13, 2015 on location in Chicago, Illinois;{{cite news|last1=Metz|first1=Nina |title=Movie about Obamas' first date to begin filming in Chicago next month|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/chi-southside-with-you-starts-filming-in-chicago-column.html|access-date=July 31, 2015|work=Chicago Tribune|date=June 25, 2015}} following that, several websites released photos from the set.{{cite news|last1=N'Duka|first1=Amanda|title='Southside With You': First-Look At Parker Sawyers & Tika Sumpter As A Young Barack & Michelle Obama|url=https://deadline.com/2015/07/photo-obama-southside-with-you-movie-1201475857/|access-date=July 15, 2015|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=July 14, 2015}}{{cite news|last1=McNary|first1=Dave|title=First Look: Parker Sawyers, Tika Sumpter as Barack & Michelle Obama in 'Southside With You'|url=https://variety.com/2015/film/news/photo-obama-southside-with-you-first-date-movie-1201538997/|access-date=July 15, 2015|work=Variety|date=July 14, 2015}} Filming wrapped on July 31, 2015. Locations included downtown, the South Side, and the West Side. Filming was also done on Amstutz Expressway in Waukegan.{{cite web|title=Southside With You|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/news/ct-ctl-ct-lns-obama-movie-2-jpg-20150727-photo.html|access-date=July 31, 2015 |work=Chicago Tribune |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150820063755/https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/news/ct-ctl-ct-lns-obama-movie-2-jpg-20150727-photo.html |archive-date=August 20, 2015}}{{cite news|last1=Moran|first1=Dan|title=Barack, Michelle Obama's first date re-created in Waukegan film shoot |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/news/ct-lns-obama-movie-st-0728-20150727-story.html|access-date=July 31, 2015|work=Chicago Tribune|date=July 28, 2015|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210626165254/https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/ct-lns-obama-movie-st-0728-20150727-story.html|archive-date=June 26, 2021}}

The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2016.{{cite web |date=December 7, 2015 |title=Sundance Institute Completes Feature Film Lineup For 2016 Sundance Film Festival |url=http://www.sundance.org/blogs/news/premieres-spotlight-sundance-kids-and-special-events-announced-for-2016-festival |access-date=January 25, 2016 |publisher=sundance.org}}{{cite web |title=Southside With You |url=http://www.sundance.org/projects/southside-with-you |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223140805/http://www.sundance.org/projects/southside-with-you |archive-date=2015-12-23 |access-date=June 9, 2016 |website=Sundance Film Festival}} Shortly after, Miramax and Roadside Attractions acquired theatrical distribution rights to the film.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/festivals/obama-movie-southside-with-you-sells-to-roadside-attractions-and-miramax-1201705031/|title=Obama Movie 'Southside With You' Sells to Roadside Attractions and Miramax|website=Variety|first1=Ramin|last1=Seetodeh|first2=Brent|last2=Lang|date=February 12, 2016|access-date=June 9, 2016}} On April 28, 2016, Miramax released the first official trailer for the film.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/obama-first-date-movie-trailer-southside-with-you-1201762931/|title=Obamas Go on Their First Date in 'Southside With You' Trailer|publisher=Variety|first=Dave|last=McNary|date=April 28, 2016|access-date=June 9, 2016}}[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oicetgBA3ZQ "Southside With You: Official Trailer (HD) – Tika Sumpter, Parker Sawyers: MIRAMAX"]. Miramax/YouTube. April 29, 2016 The film was distributed worldwide with theatrical releases in France, Germany, Singapore, UK, Ireland, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Spain, Italy, Hong Kong, and parts of the Middle East.{{Cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2016/05/southside-with-you-uk-release-louis-drax-bafta-amy-hennig-1201762539/|title=Miramax's 'Southside With You' & 'Louis Drax' Land UK Distribution; BAFTA To Honor Vidgame Guru Amy Hennig – Global Briefs|last=Hipes|first=Patrick|date=2016-05-25|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=2017-04-26|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ondvdreleases.com/2856-southside-with-you.html|title=Southside with You - DVD Release Dates|website=OnDVDReleases.com|language=en-US|access-date=2017-04-26}}

Southside with You was released in North America on August 26, 2016, and was initially projected to gross around $2 million from 813 theaters in its opening weekend.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2016/08/dont-breathe-suicide-squad-mechanic-resurrection-southside-with-you-hands-of-stone-1201808025/ |title='Don't Breathe' Could Suffocate 'Suicide Squad' During Sluggish Summer Weekend: Box Office Preview |website=Deadline Hollywood|date=August 24, 2016 }} It ended up grossing $2.9 million, a per-theater average of $3,762.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2016/08/dont-breathe-suicide-squad-southside-with-you-mechanic-insurrection-box-office-1201809180/|title='Don't Breathe' Screams $26M+ Opening, Gives Sony 3rd Summer Cash Cow After 'Sausage Party', 'Shallows': Early Sunday Update |author=Anthony D'Alessandro|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=August 28, 2016 |access-date=August 28, 2016}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2016/08/box-office-arthouse-audit-hell-or-high-water-southside-with-you-hands-of-stone-1201720927/|title=Weekend Box Office: 'Hell or High Water' Tops 'Southside With You' {{!}} IndieWire|last=Brueggemann|first=Tom|website=www.indiewire.com|date=August 28, 2016 |access-date=2016-10-21}} The film went on to gross a total of $6.5 million against its $1.5 million budget.

Southside with You became available on Digital HD on November 29, 2016 and Blu-Ray and DVD on December 13, 2016 from Lionsgate and Miramax.{{Cite news |title=Lionsgate Press Release: Southside With You (Blu-ray) |newspaper=Blu-ray Movie Discussion, Expert Reviews & News |url=http://www.hometheaterforum.com/community/threads/lionsgate-press-release-southside-with-you-blu-ray.349614/ |url-status=dead |access-date=2016-10-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021145027/http://www.hometheaterforum.com/community/threads/lionsgate-press-release-southside-with-you-blu-ray.349614/ |archive-date=2016-10-21}} The film became available to stream on Netflix on April 26, 2017.{{Cite web |title=Southside with You - Netflix New Releases |url=http://www.netflixnewreleases.net/all-netflix-new-releases/southside-with-you/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118143349/https://www.netflixnewreleases.net/shows/southside-with-you/ |archive-date=January 18, 2022 |access-date=2017-04-26 |website=www.netflixnewreleases.net |language=en-US}} On November 10, 2018, the film had its cable television premiere on BET, airing back-to-back with BET Presents: Love and Happiness: An Obama Celebration, a televised 2016 White House concert that honored the Presidency of Barack Obama and the First Lady Michelle Obama.{{Cite web |title=BET Premiere (Sunday Morning Grid - 11/4/18) |url=http://www.trbas.com/media/media/acrobat/2018-11/70135389945540-02130941.pdf |website=Los Angeles Times}}

Southside with You received mostly positive reviews, with praise going to Tanne's direction and screenplay, as well as to the performances of Sumpter and Sawyers. Upon its premiere at Sundance, it immediately garnered positive buzz with Essence writing that "critics gave it two very enthusiastic thumbs up, calling it a classic romance story."{{cite web|url=https://www.essence.com/awards-events/film-festivals/movie-chronicling-obamas-first-date-reviews-sundance-film-festival/|title='Southside With You' Opens to Rave Reviews at Sundance Film Festival|website=Essence}} On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 91% based on 163 reviews, with an average rating of 7.30/10. The website's critical consensus states, "Southside with You looks back on a fateful real-life date with strong performances and engaging dialogue, adding up to a romance that makes for a pretty good date movie in its own right."{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/southside_with_you/|title=Southside with You|publisher=Fandango|work=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=October 28, 2022}} On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 74 out of 100, based on 43 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/southside-with-you|title=Southside with You reviews|publisher=CBS Interactive|work=Metacritic|access-date=October 28, 2022}}

Justin Chang of Variety wrote that the film "stands as something unique, even audacious in American independent movies: a fact-based presidential "prequel" that seeks to present two iconic world figures as convincing and relatable romantic leads. And on that particular score, Tanne's movie — toplined by the very well-cast Tika Sumpter and Parker Sawyers — is pretty much an unqualified success."{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/festivals/southside-with-you-review-sundance-barack-obama-michelle-1201687578/|title=Film Review: 'Southside With You'|last=Chang|first=Justin|date=2016-01-25|work=Variety|access-date=2017-04-26|language=en-US}}

Critic Peter Travers of Rolling Stone called it "the date movie of the year," and described it as "gorgeously romantic."{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/southside-with-you-movie-review-w435489|title='Southside With You' Review: When Barack Met Michelle|date=August 24, 2016|last=Travers|first=Peter|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=2017-04-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804081139/https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-reviews/southside-with-you-review-romantic-indie-recreates-when-barack-met-michelle-252010/ |archive-date=August 4, 2020}} Richard Brody of The New Yorker touted Tanne's first film as "an opening act of superb audacity," and described it as "a fully realized, intricately imagined, warmhearted, sharp-witted, and perceptive drama, one that sticks close to its protagonists while resonating quietly but grandly with the sweep of a historical epic."{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/the-authentic-joy-of-southside-with-you|last=Brody|first=Richard|title=The Authentic Joy of "Southside with You"|date=2016-08-18|magazine=The New Yorker|access-date=2017-04-26}}

Odie Henderson of RogerEbert.com gave the film four-out-of-four stars, stating that it is "at once a love song to the city of Chicago and its denizens, an unmistakably Black romance and a gentle, universal comedy," adding that "it is unapologetic about all three of these elements, and interweaves them in such a subtle fashion that they become more pronounced only upon later reflection."{{Cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/southside-with-you-2016|title=Southside With You Movie Review (2016)|last=Henderson|first=Odie|date=August 26, 2016 |website=www.rogerebert.com|language=en|access-date=2017-04-26}}

Stephanie Zacharek of Time described it as a "vivid and imaginative portrayal," and noted of the two lead performances that "Sawyers captures both the easy, loping rhythms of our future 44th President’s speech and the long-stride elegance of his carriage. Sumpter is equally terrific," adding that "she manifests perfectly the future First Lady's under-the-radar determination, always tempered by empathy."{{Cite magazine|url=https://time.com/4461336/southside-with-you-review-barack-obama/|title=Review: Barack and Michelle's First Date, Imagined, in Southside with You|magazine=Time|access-date=2017-04-26}}

The film was criticized by several critics for what they deemed a hagiographic depiction of Obama,{{cite web|first=Christian |last=Toto |title='Southside' Hits Home Video at Very Worst Time |date=December 13, 2016 |website=Hollywood in Toto|url=https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/southside-with-you-blu-ray-review/ |accessdate=February 14, 2022}}{{cite web|first=Kenji |last=Fujishima |title=Review: Southside with You |date=August 22, 2016 |magazine=Slant Magazine|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/southside-with-you/ |accessdate=February 14, 2022}} while others questioned its authenticity.{{cite web|first=Tricia |last=Olszewski |title=Barack and Michelle Obama's First Date Gets Fictionalized in Southside With You |date=August 26, 2016 |newspaper=Washington City Paper|url=https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/328342/southside-with-you-reviewed/ |accessdate=February 14, 2022}} Fred Topel of Guff.com opined that Obama comes across as predatory in the film by ignoring Robinson's boundaries, which he did not find believable.{{cite web|first=Fred |last=Topel |title=Sundance Film Review: 'Southside With You' |date=January 2016 |website=Guff |url=http://guff.com/sundance-film-review-southside-with-you |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207215623/http://guff.com/sundance-film-review-southside-with-you |archive-date=February 7, 2016}}

The film was cited on many year-end lists including The New Yorker,{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/the-best-movies-of-2016|title=The Best Movies of 2016|date=2016-12-09|magazine=The New Yorker|access-date=2017-04-26}} The Washington Post,{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/the-best-movies-of-2016-moonlight-manchester-by-the-sea-and-southside-with-you-make-the-top-10/2016/12/08/0cbd6884-bb32-11e6-91ee-1adddfe36cbe_story.html|title=The best movies of 2016: 'Moonlight,' 'Manchester by the Sea' and 'Southside With You' make the top 10|last1=Hornaday|first1=Ann|date=2016-12-08|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=2017-04-26|last2=Hornaday|first2=Ann|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}} The San Francisco Chronicle,{{Cite news|url=http://www.sfchronicle.com/movies/article/Micky-Awards-Expert-panel-of-1-picks-the-best-in-10832322.php|title=Micky Awards: Expert panel of 1 picks the best in film|work=San Francisco Chronicle|access-date=2017-04-26}} The Hollywood Reporter,{{Cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/best-movies-2016-todd-mccarthy-955568/item/nine-worthy-films-todd-mccarthy-2016-picks-955583|title=Nine Other Worthy Films - Todd McCarthy: The 10 Best Films of 2016|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=2018-06-13|language=en}} RogerEbert.com,{{Cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/features/the-individual-top-tens-of-2016 |title=The Individual Top Tens of 2016|date=December 17, 2016 |website=www.rogerebert.com|language=en|access-date=2017-04-26}} The Huffington Post,{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/dwight-brown/the-best-films-of-2016_b_13677984.html|title=The Best Films 2016|last=Brown|first=Dwight|date=2016-12-16|website=Huffington Post|language=en-US|access-date=2017-04-26}} Mandatory,{{Cite news|url= https://www.mandatory.com/culture/1185251-year-inspiration-16-best-performances-2016 |title=A Year of Empathy {{!}} The 16 Best Performances of 2016|last=Bibbiani |first=William |date=2016-12-12|work=Mandatory.com|access-date=2017-05-01|language=en-US}} Applaudience on Medium{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/@matt_pais/my-10-favorite-movies-of-2016-dd664679f52a|title=My 10 favorite movies of 2016|last=Pais|first=Matt|date=2016-12-20|website=Matt Pais|access-date=2017-07-20}} and Ain’t It Cool News.{{Cite news|url=https://www.aintitcool.com/node/76968|title=Capone unveils his 60 Best Feature Films and 20 Best Docs of 2016|work=Aint It Cool News|access-date=2017-04-26|language=en}}

Rotten Tomatoes ranked the film #55 on its list of Top 105 Romance Movies of all time.{{Cite web|url= https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/best-fresh-romantic-movies/ |title=Top 105 Romance Movies |access-date=2019-02-27|website=Rotten Tomatoes}} It also ranked the film #53 on its list of The 123 Best Black Movies of the 21st Century and #14 on its list of 55 Movies That Celebrate Black Joy.{{Cite web|url=https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/best-black-movies-21st-century/|title=The 123 Best Black Movies of the 21st Century |website=Rotten Tomatoes}}{{Cite web |title=40 Movies That Celebrate Black Joy |url=https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/movies-that-celebrate-black-joy/ |access-date=2021-02-17 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |language=en-US}} Entertainment website Collider included the film on its list of The 25 Best Romance Movies of the 21st Century.{{Cite web|date=2020-12-31|title=The 25 Best Romance Movies of the 21 Century (So Far)|url=https://collider.com/best-romance-movies/|access-date=2021-01-03|website=Collider|language=en-US}} AARP named it one of the top 12 best movies ever made about U.S. Presidents.{{Cite web|last=Nashawaty|first=Chris|title=Best Films About Presidents to Watch on Presidents' Day|url=http://www.aarp.org/entertainment/movies-for-grownups/info-2021/presidents-day-movies.html|access-date=2021-02-17|website=AARP|language=english}} Harper's Bazaar cited it as the 41st most Romantic Movie of All Time.{{Cite web|last=Janes|first=DeAnna|date=2021-02-14|title=The Best Romantic Movies That Will Make You Believe in Love|url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/g6498/most-romantic-movies/|access-date=2021-02-17|website=Harper's Bazaar|language=en-US}} Vulture included the film on their list of 20 Best Movies About American Presidents, while Time Out listed it as one of the 27 Best Chicago Movies.{{Cite web |last=Leitch |first=Tim Grierson, Will |date=2023-02-17 |title=The 20 Best Movies About American Presidents |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/best-movies-about-american-presidents.html |access-date=2023-08-13 |website=Vulture |language=en-us}}{{Cite web |date=2022-10-17 |title=27 Best Chicago Movies, From Rom-Coms to Heart-Pounding Thrillers |url=https://www.timeout.com/film/the-best-chicago-movies |access-date=2023-08-13 |website=Time Out Worldwide |language=en-GB}}

• List of black films of the 2010s

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|southsidewithyou.com}}
• {{IMDb title|4258698}}
• {{Mojo title|southsidewithyou}}

{{Barack Obama}}

{{Michelle Obama}}

Category:2016 films

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Category:Films set in 1989

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Category:Films produced by Robert Teitel

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