Popular reviews

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  Review by Brian Tallerico ★★★★

  The best superhero origin story of the year.

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  Review by Sean ★★★ 1

  Before Sunrise
  Before Sunset
  Before Midnight
  Before White House

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  Review by Wood ★★★ 2

  I'm glad in the vast sea of Obama impersonations they hired the one guy that doesn't look or sound anything like Obama.

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  Review by jpark ★★★½

  I'd be hard-pressed to find someone who actively disliked this sweet and slight film depicting Michelle and Barack's first date, before they cemented their legacies within American history (Obama '16!). It plays very much like the Before trilogy but with a significantly less well-written script; still managing to find a delicate flow and rhythm despite some clunky bits of dialogue. The key difference is that Southside With You has a subtle agenda; to paint a portrait of these people that may hint at the great things to come. It's not perfect or powerful, but it's really what we need in this circus of an election; a gentle reminder that (usually) behind these political titans is a human being. A human…

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  Review by tromber ★★

  This might be the first time I've seen a romance where the talent gulf between the two leads is so blatant.

  Sumpter spends the whole film focused entirely on hammering her impression, while Sawyers eases back and just gives a strong performance.  It's distracting every time he finishes talking and she starts because it's a constant reminder that she is impersonating Michelle while he is playing Barack.

  Couple that with too much obvious telegraphing of events in search of a reaction (I get that there was a touch of antagonism to their first date initially but how many times can someone say "I won't go on a date with him" in an eighty minute movie) .  The film relies heavily…

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  Review by Ava ☭ ★★★

  imagine smoking cigarettes

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  Review by Mark Cunliffe 🇵🇸 ★★★½ 2

  What many don't realise is that Southside with You was going to be the first film in a series dramatising the first dates between future presidents and their wives. The franchise stalled after this one entry however, largely because Donald Trump couldn't remember which hand he first grabbed Melania by the pussy with or whether they did anal on the first or second date.

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  Review by Dawson Joyce ★★★★

  Clearly inspired by Richard Linklater's Before trilogy, Southside with You is a surprisingly charming, subtle, and affectionate romantic drama with strong lead turns from Parker Sawyers and Tika Sumpter as Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson.

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  Review by Lizzy ★★½

  Centrists and apolitical “maybe black lives do matter?” people have found their Before movie.

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  Review by minick ★★★ 1

  obama: i dont like ice cream
  me: we gotta impeach him asap

  
  
  
  
  

  
  the star of this movie was really Chicago's black community and culture 

  i really wanna take away a whole extra star bc honestly i couldnt stand the way tika sumpter spoke as michelle. but thats not fair so im not gonna do that

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  Review by Raul Marques ★★★★

  Early on the film, as the characters begin to discuss the validation of their meeting as a date, Michelle gives this poignant little speech about what getting involved with the first cute black guy that comes in the office would mean to her as a black woman in the still invariably prejudiced law firm she works on, and Barack immediately responds by saying, with the most charming of smiles on his face, "You think I'm cute?", and that pretty much sums up what's the movie.

  It's a heartwarming look at the world's most powerful couple blossoming love, yes, but is also a astoundingly affectionate portrayal of the inner politics of what make someone truly connect with one another, starting with…

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  Review by NickyD316 ★★★½ 1

  Southside With You or (Barack And Michelle Obama Before Sunrise).