Inspired by Barack and Michelle Obama’s first date in 1989, “Southside With You” is a fun period premise that just isn’t fully realized. It’s not romantic enough to be a traditional date movie and it tries too hard to be a racially focused drama, making this talky film from writer-director Richard Tanne much more of a bore than a joy to sit through.

The movie focuses on one date and takes place over one day in and around Chicago. Summer law firm associate Barack (Parker Sawyers) picks up his colleague Michelle (Tika Sumpter) to spend the day chatting and exploring their city. In a blatant rip-off of the far better “Before Sunrise” series, this film starts off delightful and then becomes just too cutesy and preachy to be meaningful.

The film makes Obama out to be some sort of savior for the poor and the disenfranchised which I guess is okay, but it’s also more than a little irritating. (The religious imagery becomes so forced that there’s a scene in a church where Obama is bathed in sunlight).

The early banter in the ‘first date’ scenes are fun, romantic and enjoyably charming, much due to the charismatic performances from Sawyers and Sumpter. It’s when the discussions turn more and more towards race and poverty that the film begins to feel like it’s an exercise in pandering to the liberal crowd. Ultimately it becomes a bland attempt at pointed social, gender and racial commentary.

This movie is short (84 minutes) but it should’ve been even shorter. There’s just not enough compelling material to make an interesting feature film.