2016 | USA | NR | 104 min.
Before he was Barack, he was Barry—an intelligent, handsome, charismatic bit of a square, who struggled with questions of identity, purpose, and belonging. It’s hard to imagine a time when the coolest commander-in-chief on record wasn’t quite as cool, but this stellar biopic about the future 44th president’s college years at Columbia University in New York reconstructs how the biracial brainiac stepped outside his comfort zone to explore black culture while also navigating relationships with his white girlfriend (Anya Taylor-Joy) and mother (Ashley Judd). Dancing to the B-52s, reading “Invisible Man,” shooting hoops, and debating democracy via the ancient Greeks, the man we know now didn’t yet exist—but the future was calling. Led by Devon Terrell’s winsome lead performance, director Vikram Gandhi’s (“Kumare,” TCFF 2011) poignant charmer may reveal the events and relationships that shaped the man who would become the leader of the free world, but it also stands on its own as a tender coming-of-age story that doesn’t need a presidential pedigree to be profoundly impactful.
PRE-SHOW MUSIC BY
Brett Mitchell (Wed)
Alex Mendenall (Thu)
SPONSORED BY
Jere & Gail Brown (Wed)
Al & Susan Cogswell (Thu)