Netflix’s biographical drama, “Shirley,” on Shirley Chisholm’s trailblazing 1972 presidential run, is simplistically blunt, with an excellent Regina King elevating the affair. Writer-Director John Ridley is understandably fascinated by Chisholm’s history-making presidential campaign. As underlined at the very beginning of the film, Shirley Chisholm was the first Black woman to make it to the United States Congress. She also became the first black person to run for president from one of the two major parties and the first woman to run for the Democratic nomination.
The gravitas and the importance of Chisholm and her story in American politics is undeniable. This significance begot responsibility. And perhaps it is this responsibility to tell Chisholm’s story right that made John Ridley resort to safe filmmaking for the benefit of informative storytelling. So much so that “Shirley” almost becomes a well-researched and finely documented PowerPoint presentation. Rife with information, but dullishly effective.
From its inaugurating ten-something minutes, “Shirley” establishes its titular central character, portrayed by Regina King, as this steadfast, unrelenting force that would change the course of American Politics. The first Black Congresswoman does not take scoffs and guffaws from her colleagues face down. She addresses it and forces it to be changed. She has the almost-unequivocal support of her husband, Conrad Chisholm (Michael Cherrie). And that support is needed as she decides to run for the President of the USA on the Democratic party ticket.
Ridley’s script focuses on the trouble and partisanship Shirley Chisholm’s campaign faces because of two of her identities. She is of the Black community, and she is a woman. Despite her valiant effort not to let her two distinctive identities define her politics, the politics would not let her do so. Throughout the journey of her presidential run, we would see her struggle. Sometimes as a woman, sometimes as a person of color and many times for both. It is those moments that define Shirley Chisholm.
But these moments continue to recede as the story progresses. Because the focus gradually starts to shift toward the events that would stop Shirley Chisholm from winning. This is where Ridley concentrates more on passing the accurate information neatly and concisely than creatively. It becomes a run-of-the-mill safe retelling of events, not the extraordinary storytelling that the extraordinary character deserves. It relies more on monologues than visual cues. And the responsibility of doing justice to this story slowly lands on the shoulder of Regina King.
The reason the film does work is due to King fulfilling this responsibility. Her Shirley Chisholm imbibes the cold dignity, the warm honesty, and the plain and simple suffering with equal ease. Chisholm is a lot of things. Her own words paint a diverse picture of her. She is a proud woman, a proud black person, and a devout Christian. She is honest, but she understands the lies of politics. Shirley is polite but not gullible. She loves her family, but not at the expense of risking her career. She is all these and King does not miss a beat in portraying all of that.
The one thing Chisholm does struggle with is family. Her marriage with Conrad (a delightful Michael Cherrie) starts as this “different-yet-perfect” marriage that almost works, with an emphasis on ‘almost.’ There is a scene where Shirley comes back home late and Conrad has fallen asleep waiting. There is no food prepared for her. She snaps just for a moment, then proceeds to heat the refrigerated readymade stuff. A mere whiff of an argument, but it lingers. Especially through cinematographer Ramsey Nickell’s neat composition where Regina King’s tired frame cuts a desolate figure amidst the kitchen table and drawing room.
The supporting cast needs a special mention. The late Lance Reddick is excellent as Chisholm’s key advisor, Wesley McDonald “Mac” Holder. Mac becomes the perfect foil with his disdainful realist wisdom against Chisholm’s idealistic optimism. Terrence Howard’s Arthur Hardwick and Lucas Hedges’ Robert Gottlieb complete the perfect Chisholm team.
It is known from the beginning that the fairy tale climax is not there for Chisholm’s campaign. Shirley Chisholm’s legacy was not winning but influencing, paving the path for less hatred and more inclusive politics. We see Barbara Lee, played earnestly by Christina Jackson, learning from her. The real Barbara Lee would go on to become the California Congresswoman and is featured at the end of the film. It’s a formulaic but fitting underlining of Chisholm’s achievements. At the end of the day, the same might be said about the film.
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