As our semester is coming to end, so is our year, and I become increasingly nostalgic over the past 12 months and its ‘big moments’. This year was characterized by some massive global changes, one of which did not strike lightly. When we learned that Donald Trump would soon replace Barack Obama as president of the United States, the Internet went ballistic. After discussion from both sides, what remains was nostalgia and remembrance. Nostalgia over the past years of Obama being President and his marriage to Michelle. Not a day went by after the elections, without seeing Buzzfeed videos and articles passing by on Facebook with titles such as: ‘Michelle And Barack Share A Tender Moment At His Final Rally’ or ‘19 Adorable Photos Of Barack And Michelle Obama’.
This month also marks the DVD release of Southside With You (2016) a film by Richard Tanne that shows you Michelle and Barack Obamas first date in the suburbs of late 1980s Chicago. As the story goes Michelle and Barack both worked at a Chicago Law firm and one day they were supposed to go to a meeting. However what Barack had not told her, is that the meeting was only later that day and that he planned various things, to intrigue this rather delightful young lady. At the start of their date, Michelle was not having any of it, because how would it look if she “started dating the first cute brother that walked into the office”? The end, or rather the journey, of the rest of this love story you all know.
Now do not get me wrong, this film is not one of those romance clichés with lots of kissing and cuddling. It deals with real issues throughout the film, and shows you the Southside of Chicago at its best and at its worst. It shows you the involvement Barack Obama had in the community, his time at university and his remarkable ability to inspire people with his speeches.
When the film was released earlier this year, it received generally favorable reviews overall. It officially premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. According to Rotten Tomatoes: “Southside With You looks back on a 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.”
So if you are looking for a slightly longer study break or just pure procrastination, this is definitely a must watch that will interest you until the end!
Gabriëlle La Croix, Class of 2017, is an Art History and History major from Ede, The Netherlands.
