SHIRLEY
Starring: Regina King, Lance Reddick, Lucas Hedges, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Christina Jackson, Michael Cherrie, André Holland, and Terrence Howard
Director: John Ridley
AMARÚ
I was lucky enough to be educated about Shirley Chisholm growing up, and it’s a disservice that Shirley delves into the politician’s importance no more thoroughly than my elementary school. With great actors like Regina King, Lance Reddick (damn…), and Terrence Howard (whom I’ve never seen say less words in anything, ever) carrying the film to respectable status, the second half more successfully delivers increased gravitas to this cliff-notes version of her historical presidential campaign. While I was ultimately satisfied with what I watched, Shirley unfortunately continues the recent trend of mediocre biopics for people who are anything but.
QUENTIN
While I commend the intent behind Shirley, as well as the terrific performances, the fact is that the movie is simply too bland to be anything more than another forgettable biopic. I don’t know if director John Ridley was trying to make it more palatable for mainstream audiences, but I have to imagine that Shirley Chisholm’s (Regina King) ill-fated presidential bid faced stiffer problems than what we witness in the story given to us. It’s not a bad movie at all, and if you don’t know anything about the pioneering congresswoman, it’s worth a watch; however, Chisholm and her legacy deserve more than Shirley.
ADRIANO
The incredible true story at the heart of Shirley is one that deserves to be told, and it's told here with the utmost respect and admiration for Shirley Chisholm (Regina King). To her credit, King steers the vehicle excellently; however, the storytelling, sadly, feels too sanitized and weightless to feel her gravity. The presentation is remarkably dull and, while the story is inspiring, the lens through which it is told feels too much like a history lesson and not an experience. By no means is this movie bad, but stories like this deserve more than what we're given in Shirley.
KATIE
Shirley
is a mediocre film about an incredible woman. Don’t get me wrong, the film does a great job of educating me about Shirley Chisholm’s (Regina King) remarkable life and amazing legacy, but, as is the case with many biopics lately, it comes across as a paint-by-numbers account that lacks nuance and presents many one-dimensional characters. The performances are great, especially King as Shirley, and it’s entertaining overall, but it borders on the mundane and lacks impact. I just wanted more from the representation of this inspiring story.
