Netflix’s new civil rights political biography, Shirley, is a film of dignified power and elegant restraint. The movie takes painful steps in landing the ship, so to speak, to capture the title character’s morals, values, and ethics. While Shirley takes its time, showing the bright side of the American dream, the film never deviates from the sobering truth of the times.
However, Shirley’s legacy was set over several points during her 1972 campaign, even in failure. It was a touchstone moment in American political history that paved the way for so many after her, as civil rights leaders did for her before.
The story follows Shirley Chisholm (If Beale Street Could Talk’s Regina King), the first African American woman elected to Congress. That year was 1969, and she was a representative of New York’s 12th congressional district of Bedford-Stuyvesant. Then, in 1972, she wanted to challenge Democratic South Dakota Senator George McGovern to prevent Republican President Richard Nixon from retaining office.
Ms. Chisholm’s goal was to promote awareness of a more inclusive American political system that largely ignored marginalized communities, particularly African Americans and women. She recruits leaders such as Mac Holder (a phenomenal Lance Reddick), former student Robert Gottlieb (Lucas Hedges), and civil leader Arthur Hardwick Jr. (Terrance Howard) to support her historic run for President of the United States.
Shirley was written and directed by Academy Award-winning scribe John Ridley (12 Years A Slave). He molds a picture that captures the spirit of Margaret Mead’s saying, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” That includes students across many American campuses and convincing the Black Panther Party of her candidacy.
One example is activist Barbara Lee (Christina Jackson), now a Congresswoman. However, back in 1972, she was a young activist. Shirley did everything she could to open her cynicism to the possibility of change. Ms. Chisholm attempts to keep her wide-eyed to possibilities through forgiveness and hope. These are powerful messages for the political climate we currently inhabit.
Nothing more encompasses that subtext than Ridley’s jaw-droppingly chronicle of Ms. Chisholm’s relationship with her Christian faith while visiting Governor George Wallace after the attempt on his life that left him without use of his legs. After watching Shirley, even if that was a small part of the film, you cannot help but wonder if her influence ignited his apologies for his stance on segregation at the time.
Shirley is worth watching for the steady, beyond-reproach performance of its star, Regina King. Her turn is one of the best of her career. While the Academy Award-winning actress has no problem evoking the strength to stand up to men who look down on her, there’s a grace that King embodies, using the Lens of Shirley Chisholm to see through the weeds.
Her embodiment of the titular character in Shirley is one of resilience under extreme circumstances, a touch of gravitas under harsh political light, and of unspeakable integrity while navigating the complexities of the American political system in that particular time frame of the Civil Rights era.
Her performance in Shirley helms a biographical picture of quiet dignity and fiery determination.
Shirley (2024) will be available to stream on Netflix on March 22, 2024. The film is currently playing in select theaters.
Regian King's performance in Shirley helms a biographical picture of quiet dignified power and fiery determination.
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I am a film and television critic and a proud member of the Las Vegas Film Critic Society, Critics Choice Association, and a 🍅 Rotten Tomatoes/Tomato meter approved. However, I still put on my pants one leg at a time, and that’s when I often stumble over. When I’m not writing about movies, I patiently wait for the next Pearl Jam album and pass the time by scratching my wife’s back on Sunday afternoons while she watches endless reruns of California Dreams. I was proclaimed the smartest reviewer alive by actor Jason Isaacs, but I chose to ignore his obvious sarcasm. You can also find my work on InSession Film, Ready Steady Cut, Hidden Remote, Music City Drive-In, Nerd Alert, and Film Focus Online.
