Shirley on Netflix: This American Changed the World of Politics!

What is it about?

Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to Congress in the United States, launched a historic run for the Democratic Party nomination in the 1972 presidential election.

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We meet Regina King in the title role of Shirley Chisholm. The 53-year-old actor first experienced success in television, notably in the anthology American Crime, in which he played one of the main roles, or in the TV adaptation of the comic book Watchmen.

Over the years, she became one of the most talented actresses of her generation, most notably winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in If Beale Street Could Talk.

His political commitments now influence his choice of projects, such as One Night in Miami, which he directed.

The film also stars Terrence Howard as activist businessman Arthur Hardwick, Jr., and the late Lance Reddick as political consultant “Mac” Holder. In a supporting role familiar to moviegoers, W. Earl Brown plays Republican Senator George Wallace.

This biopic is written and directed by John Ridley. A talented novelist, the latter won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2014 for 12 Years a Slave. He is also the creator of the TV series American Crime, in which several actors from the film appeared, including, of course, Regina King.

Is it worth checking out?

Shirley is set in 1972, but her message has never been more relevant. A few months before the next American presidential election, Netflix returns to a historic episode in American politics, although the story remains little known to the general public and especially in France.

Shirley follows the story of Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American woman in the House of Representatives. A Democratic presidential candidate in 1972, her story has inspired many female politicians—not just in the United States—and her journey continues to inspire admiration and respect.

An authentic and extraordinary story

Therefore, the main merit of this new Netflix product is to bring to the forefront this politician and his struggles to protect diversity, the poor, immigrants, but also veterans.

Unfortunately, the time period the film evokes – the 1972 election – does not allow us to look at Shirley Chisholm’s entire political career.

The film itself is not a failure, but it falls in line with academic and non-original biographies. As extraordinary as Shirley Chisholm’s story is, the film devolves into clichés too quickly and doesn’t give enough development to the secondary characters.

The message of the film clearly does not leave you indifferent. Despite all of the latter’s struggles, her rise was severely curtailed by the inability of her African-American peers to accept that a woman could gain access to the highest offices in the American political spectrum.

Is the Rocky Balboa of American politics?

The story of Shirley Chisholm reminds us of the story of Rocky Balboa. Of course, the battle launched by the latter ended in failure, but his story is also a story of victory, as illustrated by the testimony of Barbara Lee (portrayed by Christina Jackson in the film), at the end of the feature film.

This transition from fiction to reality reinforces the regret that the biographical format was preferred to the documentary format. It’s also a shame that the film only focuses on the early years of the elected representative from New York, and not on his entire career, which was notably marked by seven terms in the US Congress.

During the interview, Shirley Chisholm said that she wanted to be remembered not as a politician, but as a defender of African-American and women’s rights. In doing so, the film honors his memory through this instructive portrait of a historic figure in American politics.

The biopic Shirley is now available exclusively on Netflix.

Discover the list of movies currently available on the platform!