Films

«Becoming a First Lady

4 reading minutes

written by Alissa Musumeci · 16 May 2020 · 0 comment

Saturday's Netflix & chill - Alissa Musumeci

Becoming, Michelle Obama's autobiographical bestseller, inspires the new documentary film Become to be released in spring 2020. Netflix followed the former First Lady on her tour for Becoming. Two years after leaving the White House, Michelle Obama has decided to retrace her experience in a book, showing herself to be true and unfiltered.

Indeed, the first African-American First Lady did not have a role worthy of a fairy tale. She tells us of many moments when she felt destabilized: the media were constantly focused on her family; her actions and words always had to be prepared; there was no longer that natural, carefree side to her life. To illustrate this, Michelle utters a sobering phrase: «Your life is no longer your own.»

Another very difficult subject for her to tackle was fashion, as we still judge a lot by the image we project. That's why, throughout her husband's term in office, her trusted stylist opted for outfits that were always elegant, sober and, above all, revealing. When she left the White House, she spoke of a new-found freedom: finally free to wear pretty necklines or, quite simply, sequined thigh-high boots!

Michelle LaVaughn Obama, born on Chicago's South Side, hasn't always had a life punctuated by private jets and paparazzi. As an African-American, she has had to work hard to be considered on a par with her white peers. On her tour, she explains that to get to Harvard, she had to put her heart and soul into proving her worth. Today, looking back, she realizes that this «struggle» for equality led her to neglect so many other aspects of life, such as her family. This eventful youth has enabled her to forge a very modest character, simple and above all open to others.

Throughout the documentary, we see how close she is to her public, the first to seek interaction with her fans. The former First Lady shows that, in the end, she's just like everyone else; despite her high-profile status, she remains human. Like many stars, she is deeply committed to the cause of inequality in African-American culture. She preaches a message of hope, urging young black people to assert themselves in society, to turn their «difference» into an asset.

One of the most prominent elements in this film is, of course, her romance with the former President of the United States, her husband Barack Obama. There are no words strong enough to define the love that binds them. After twenty-eight years of marriage, they still offer us some very moving moments of tenderness. Unlike the Trumps, the Obamas have always shown mutual respect and love, while remaining exemplary and modest. In front of the cameras, Barack never hesitated to hold his wife's hand or kiss her on the cheek or forehead as a sign of gratitude. At official ceremonies, Michelle and Barack, accompanied by their two daughters, were the perfect definition of a family with a capital F.

They always had this real, natural side to them, and their behavior wasn't played out the way the Trumps do today. The whole of America had an exemplary couple in front of it, and it was easy to identify with the Obamas, because they weren't superficial at all. The film First Date, released in 2016, traces the romance between Michelle LaVaughn Robinson and Barack Obama. This biopic offers us unique sensations and proves that vision of true love without headaches, that many couples of people unfortunately don't have.