Before the President Barack Obama and his lovely wife Michele became the high-profile, political couple they are today, Obama was just another guy, standing in front of a girl, asking her to give him a chance. In the highly anticipated Southside With You, writer-director Richard Tanne takes audiences on that fateful 1989 encounter when a young attorney named Michelle Robinson half-reluctantly went on a date (but not really) with the firm’s new summer associate, Barack Obama.
“I’ve heard from pretty reliable second-hand sources that they are aware of the movie, that they are curious to see it, and also, I think, rightfully baffled that it exists,” said Tanne, who recently debuted a clip from the upcoming project. In the clip, Michelle (Tika Sumpter) outlines all of the reasons it wouldn’t look great for her at work if she “starts dating the first cute Black guy who walks through the firm’s doors,” Barack (Parker Sawyers). After a little convincing by Barack, she agrees to go on a date-not-date.
The adorable reimagining of Barack and Michelle Obama’s epic first date debuts at the Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 24. We can hardly wait. In the meantime, check out the clip and tell us what you think about the casting. Did they hit it on the head?
