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Earlier this month, I was working with a PR agency to encourage people to go out and support Southside With You<\/em><\/a>, the movie about Barack and Michelle Obama\u2019s first date that (technically) opens in theaters today, August 26th. My social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) assignment with the agency is over BUT I wanted to see the movie for myself to make sure that I wasn\u2019t encouraging people to see something that was great in theory (a positive love story) but awful in execution. That is why my husband dropped me off to pay to see Southside With You<\/em> last night at a predominately Black Jamaica, Queens movie theater. I am happy to write that Southside with You<\/em> more than lived up to my hopeful expectations based on the official trailer:<\/p>\n <\/p> 1. Michelle Obama:<\/strong> I liked Michelle Obama before I liked Barack. In fact, her choosing him as a mate was one of the things that initially made me take his initial candidacy seriously. \ud83d\ude42 Anyway, it was great to learn a bit more about her \u2013 from her sweet interactions with her devoted father, who had MS, to finding out that she plays piano and speaks French.<\/p>\n 2. Barack Obama:<\/strong> The thing that I have always appreciated about President Obama is that he can \u201cdisagree without being disagreeable\u201d\/turning to personal attacks on his opponents. (Unfortunately, that quality is sorely lacking in the current election season on both sides.) Anyway, you can see how that trait has carried over from his days as a community organizer. At a meeting, he encouraged those in the community to \u201cturn (their opponent\u2019s) self interest to mutual interest\u201d; \u201cto flip no to on and carry on\u201d; \u00a0and to believe that most people are good, let go of judgement and to try to walk in (their opponent\u2019s) shoes. He ends his talk by encouraging the audience to see where their needs align (with the city council in this case). As he so correctly notes, \u201cThat\u2019s where things get done.\u201d If we could all just keep that in mind, the world would be a much kinder place!<\/p>\n 3. Barack and Michelle together:<\/strong> You can just see how they spur each other on to be their best. Examples include Michelle encouraging him to forgive his father so that he can be a better person and Barack challenging Michelle to do something (career-wise) that she really cares about. I especially appreciated the following exchange: 4. Obvious appreciation for Black artistic expressions:<\/strong> Since John Legend was an executive producer, I was not surprised that the music (Janet Jackson\u2019s \u201cMiss You Much\u201d, a discussion regarding the best Stevie Wonder album, etc.) was at the highest caliber. Spike Lee\u2019s classic \u201cDo the Right Thing\u201d movie also plays a pivotal role in the film. The thing that impressed me the most though was the Black art pieces on display during their museum visit. From the paintings of Ernie Barnes<\/a>,\u00a0whose work was prominently featured on the television show \u201cGood Times\u201d, to Paul Goodnight\u2019s \u201cRoom Full of Sisters\u201d, there were so many beautiful works of art celebrating the Black experience sprinkled throughout the film.<\/p>\n 5. Tika Sumpter:<\/strong> Many years ago (back when Reggie and I were dating and working with young teens), Tika went to the same church as we did. She was a really sweet person and I remember that she sang at a camp fundraiser that we hosted. Reggie used to call her \u201cSuperstar\u201d because back then she was really interested in a singing career. Now, she is an acting \u201csuperstar\u201d and it was really cool to see her onscreen.<\/p>\n 6. Intersectionality:<\/strong> I focused on African American and Women\u2019s topics for my college History-Sociology degree, so I especially appreciated how Michelle briefly touched on the double challenges of being both Black and a woman in a predominately White male work environment. (While\u00a0Black women are currently America\u2019s most educated group<\/a>, \u00a0 7. Unanswered questions:<\/strong> I love when a movie makes me want to do more research to see how things played out. Did Barack go back and get his father\u2019s tomb engraved? What happened to Tommy, the other Chicago community organizer that replaced Barack? I want to know!<\/p>\n I\u2019m also happy that I was able to hear (and take notes on) the reactions of the other people watching Southside with You<\/em> in the movie theater. The crowd wasn\u2019t huge but they were vocal. The great thing about this movie is that it\u2019s not just a date night movie. While there were couples at the movie, there were also groups of girlfriends watching it together. I was lucky enough to sit behind one such group of girlfriends. They were in their 30s to 50s and funny. \u00a0Some of their commentary\u2026<\/p>\n (When Barack is seen smoking)<\/strong><\/em> (When Tika Sumpter who plays the role of Michelle Obama speaks)<\/strong><\/em> (When Barack picks Michelle up in a raggedy car with a hole in the floor)<\/strong><\/em> (After Barack speaks at a community event) (When Barack finally breaks down Michelle\u2019s resolve not to \u201cdate\u201d him) (After the \u201cDo the Right Thing\u201d scene) (After Barack smooths things over with Michelle by buying her ice cream) (At the end of the movie)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s it? I want more.\u201d \u2013 Friend 1 There is also a scene in the movie (when a White male partner at their law firm encourages Michelle to \u201ctake good care of him (Barack)\u201d when he sees the two of them together at the movie theater. That prompted a whole audience conversation regarding what the guy meant by that and whether or not Barack should have said something in Michelle\u2019s defense. It was really interesting because a man in the audience joined the conversation by saying, \u201cAs a man, I didn\u2019t take it that way.\u201d An interesting conversation followed, which just served as an example of how everyone (even within the same race or culture) sees things differently based on their personal life lens.<\/p>\n In any event, I thoroughly enjoyed Southside With You<\/em>. I\u2019ll go see it again with my husband Reggie (whom I think will appreciate it) and\/or a group of girlfriends. It\u2019s so important that we support the types of movies that we want to see made. That\u2019s why I want to strongly encourage you to go and see Southside with You<\/em><\/a> if you can\u2026preferably this weekend since opening weekend box office numbers matter so much!<\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"7 Things I Loved About Southside with You<\/em><\/h2>\n
\n\u201cI just want to do more.\u201d \u2013 Michelle
\n\u201cMaybe wanting is enough for right now.\u201d \u2013 Barack<\/p>\n#<\/s>BlackWomensEqualPayDay<\/strong><\/b><\/a>\u00a0was trending on Twitter this week to address the fact that\u00a0African American women make only 63 cents for every dollar paid to White men.)<\/p>\nAudience Reaction to Southside With You<\/em><\/h2>\n
\n\u201cWhat? He smoked?\u201d \u2013 Friend 1
\n\u201cYes. Don\u2019t you remember. He had a hard time quitting\u2026even in the White House.\u201d \u2013 Friend 2<\/p>\n
\n\u201cOh, she sounds like her!\u201d
\n*I agree. While I don\u2019t think that Parker Sawyers (Barack) and Tika Sumpter (Michelle) really look like the Obamas, they both did a great job of capturing their mannerisms and vocal patterns.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\u201cWhat kind of Fred Flinstone car was that?\u201d \u2013 Friend 1
\n\u201cI have ridden in a car like that.\u201d \u2013 Friend 2
\n\u201cI had a car like that.\u201d -Friend 3
\n\u201cHe at least could have put a mat over the hole!\u201d \u2013 Friend 1<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong><\/em>\u201d I just love him\u201d
\n*Several \u201cme too\u201d comments were also made.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong><\/em>\u201cHe\u2019s a smooth brother, man.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong><\/em>\u201cThey killed Radio Raheem & that sh*t is still going on today!\u201d
\n*Well\u2026<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong><\/em>\u201cIce cream makes everything okay.\u201d \u2013 Friend 1
\n\u201cTrue\u2026ice cream and bacon\u201d \u2013 Friend 2
\n\u201cThat\u2019s right.\u00a0Ice cream and bacon make everything okay (followed with laughter)\u201d \u2013 Friend 1<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWell, it is the story of their first date.\u201d \u2013 Friend 2
\n\u201cThat was a long date.\u201d \u2013 Friend 3
\n\u201cThen she wakes up and her husband is the President.\u201d \u2013 Friend 1<\/p>\n