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The movie is set in the 1970, is about the life of Shirley Chisholm a woman who made history as the first African American elected to the United States Congress and who decided to be the first African American as president. Shirley was black, christian and a determined woman that is in the United States Congress, she there lived the racism and the contempt for part of the congressman and also seems to be crazy for the decision that she made to become the first woman as president. She will surround with a team of capable black men that will help her with the presidential campaign, facing a time where sexism and racism will prevailed during that journey but she will show great strength and power to face every challenged to obtained her goal, always remembering her faith and ideals.

The movie was writing and directed by John Ridley, the director is bringing the story of a fascinating woman that never stop fighting for her ideals and with her determination shows to the citizens that equality was possible. It will be premiered on March 22nd on Netflix.

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14077516/
Platform: Netflix
Release: March 22, 2024

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Meet the Men Behind the Camera: John Ridley

John Ridley is an American screenwriter, television director, novelist and show runner, he began his career performing in standup comedy in New York City making appearances on Late Night with David Letterman and The Tonight Show Starring Jonny Carson, in 1990 began writing for television sitcom such as Martin, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and The John Larroquette Show, he is also the creator and show runner of the TV series American Crime. His debut as director was on 1997 with the crime thriller Cold Around the Heart and his career catapulted on 2013 with the screenplay 12 Years a Slave for which he won on Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Ridley has demonstrated an ability to explore cultural and social diversity through his works, offering unique perspectives and now with his new movie Shirley he will show how a woman is determined to be the first black president living discrimination and racism in a time that was natural for black people live with that conditions every day. In Shirley he is the director, writer and producer.

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For sure interesting cast of Shirley (2024)

Starting the cast with Regina King who embodies Shirley Chisholm, King is a an American actress and director, she gained attention for starring in the TV sitcom 227 (1985), King gained recognition with her performance in the movie If Beale Street Could Talk of 2018 for which she earned the Academy Award and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress, she also won four Primetime Emmy Awards for her role in the TV Series American Crime 2015, Seven Seconds, Watchmen. She is a versatile actress that give everything in each performance. Lance Reddick take the role of Wesley McDonald ‘Mac’ Holder, he was an American actor an musician, he was known for his performance as Cedric Daniels in The Wire (2002-2008), as Phillipo Broyles in Fringe (2008-2013) and Chief Irvin Irving in Bosch (2014-2020), one of his last roles that gained more notoriety was Charon in the John Wick franchise. Lance Reddick passed away on March 17, 2023. Lucas Hedges plays Robert Gottlieb, Shirley’s assistant. Hedge has made a career that has earned him great nomination such as an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the drama Manchester by the Sea of 2016 and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in Drama for the movie Boy Erased of 2018, has established himself as one of Hollywood’s most prominent young talents. André Holland as Walter Fauntroy, Holland is widely known for his performance as Kevin in the movie Moonlight, is an actor that has acted in film, television and theater productions. He has received positive reviews for the roles that he has performed. Terrence Howard portray Arthur Hardwick Jr., he had his first major role in the movies of 19955 Dead Presidents and Mr. Hollands Opus, he also participated in others production such as Crash 2004, Four Brothers 2005, Big Momma’s House 2000 and many others, one of his memorable performances as his role as James “Rhody” Rhodes in the first Iron Man. Christina Jackson as Barbara Lee, she is an actress and producer known for The Night House 2020, Devotion 2022 and Outsiders (2016). Amirah Vann as Dianhann Caroll, Vann is an actress and singer, she is known for her performance in the series Underground for which she received a NAACp Image Award nomination, she also participated in the series How to Get Out with Murder as the attorney Tegan Price.

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A Glimpse into Chisholm’s Pioneering Journey

The movie wants to offer the audience the opportunity to meet Shirley, the first African American woman in being elected to the United States Congress and also the first that run for President of the United States, a woman that had a difficult journey in a time where was still alive the in a more active way the difference between white and black people, the discrimination and sexism, despite all challenges Shirley also want to tell the side of a woman commitment to justice, equality and empowerment. Regina King as Shirley is acclaimed for her performance full of dignity and emotion showing the essence of a real character that lived with grace and authenticity.

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Anticipating Shirley Release

Critics that already visualized the movie has different opinions of it, as a positive is mention that the performances of the cast in special of Regina King and Lance Reddick that are exceptional, giving the essence of Shirley Chisholm at the other hand the negative reviews has been for the plot mention that didn’t dig deeper in the characters life, despite all ideas that critics could have the important is that the story about a real historical event is always fascinating, more for the story of a black woman gaining a place in the United States Congress. Overall the filming process was as scheduled and the director is going to the deliver to the audience a good movie with great performances.

Director John Ridley this time wrote and directed the movie Shirley a woman that faced the challenges of sexism and racism but that never let that to control her life instead she fight for her ideals became the first black woman in the United States Congress and lead a group of men in a presidential campaign for her to become the first African American president. Is a movie to travel on time and watch how this woman fight for equality and justice but without leave behind her authenticity. Shirley is a movie that shows a part of the story that for many has never been told and that is now available to know it.

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Shirley Jackson was a famous writer of gothic and horror stories, several of her stories and novels have been adapted for film and television. The most famous one is The Haunting of Hill House, of which we saw a series adaptation in 2018.

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It's not a full-blown biopic, it's a mix of real elements from Shirley Jackson's life, with other elements added, which are totally fictional. The script, an adaptation of the novel, brings us closer to the life of this writer, who we have enjoyed many of her works, but know very little about.

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Fred and Rose Nemser are young newlyweds, who are housed in the house of the couple formed by Stanley Hyman and Shirley Jackson. Hyman is a prestigious professor at Bennington College and Fred will be his teaching assistant for a while. Shirley Jackson is a successful writer, whose stories are in the horror genre, fascinating to some and disturbing to others. Rose will be in charge of cleaning the house, cooking and keeping Shirley company. At first Shirley doesn't want to have her partner in the house, acting rude, but then she changes her mind, to use Rose in the creative process of her next novel, whose subject will be the actual disappearance of a student from the university where her husband is a professor.

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Rose is fascinated by Shirley. From the moment she reads her story, the lottery, in the first scene of the film, we notice that she admires the writer. During the first dinner in the house, Shirley asks her how long she is pregnant, causing great surprise, because Rose had not said anything about her pregnancy.

Although the relationship is difficult, because of Shirley's constant outbursts. Both women manage to establish a bond of friendship. Rose wants to be someone, she wants to be recognized, to be like Shirley. In turn, the writer needs Rose, to use and manipulate her, in a perverse creative game that helps her write her next novel.

The novel Jackson is writing is about a missing young woman. Rose will help her in the investigation, looking for information about the girl. The film raises the possibility that Stanley Hyman, Shirley's husband, may be involved in the disappearance. Or that's what Rose's character tries to make Shirley believe. That duality, of not knowing what is real and what is fictional, is maintained until the end of the film. An ending that is open to various interpretations. Each viewer will have a different idea about the ending.

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To find out more about Shirley Jackson's real life, you can search the internet. To start, check out the wikipedia, in the following link there is a biography of the writer: Link

The disappearance of student Paula Jean Welden was a real event in Vermont. The case was never solved and still remains a mystery: This real event inspired Shirley Jackson to write the novel Hangsaman, which is referred to in the film. In the following link you can read about that unsolved mystery: Link

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Logan Lerman, who I recently saw in the series Hunters, plays Fred, the most opaque character in history. Michael Stuhlbarg, an actor who always shines in supporting roles, jumping from drama to comedy, is a great actor, I will always remember him for his performance as Arnold Rothstein in the Boardwalk Empire series. In Shirley, he plays the writer's husband, Stanley Hyman. The young actress Odessa Young manages to convey the innocence of Rose, those looks of fascination for Shirley, her character will have the biggest change in the story, when the end comes, Rose will no longer be the same. But the star of the film is undoubtedly Elizabeth Moss.

A few days ago I published a review of the film The Invisible Man, where I praised Moss' performance. An actress I loved in the series Mad Men. The actress is once again giving us an excellent performance. She turns into Shirley Jackson, a writer consumed by her own demons, unhappy, bitter, manipulative, weird, but fascinating. 100 points for her performance!

Actress and filmmaker Josephine Decker effectively directs, if she maintains this level, a prognosis that will have many successes in the future. The handling of closed atmospheres and suspense has worked very well for her in this film. I'm looking for her previous film, Madeline's Madeline, which I haven't seen, but looking for information about the director, I found excellent opinions about that film.

I haven't read Susan Scarf Merrell's novel, I can't say it's a good adaptation, but the film is interesting and shows how excellent Elizabeth Moss is. The film is available on the Hulu platform. I hope you like it.

My Rankin: 4/5

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Shirley

Reviews

Meet the Men Behind the Camera: John Ridley

For sure interesting cast of Shirley (2024)

A Glimpse into Chisholm’s Pioneering Journey

Anticipating Shirley Release

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