Shirley Chisholm, the initial African-American woman chosen for a seat in the House of Representatives, was an inspirational figure and a pioneer when it came to issues surrounding race and gender in politics. Following her victory in 1968, she pursued the Democratic Party’s nomination for President in 1972. Given this remarkable history, one might have expected a compelling and positive biographical film. Sadly, writer-director John Ridley's depiction of this important, often overlooked pioneer falls short in several respects. The main issue is a screenplay that attempts to cover too much material within its nearly two-hour length, touching on various aspects of Chisholm’s personal and political life without exploring either area adequately, particularly during the film’s initial portion before it finds some stability later on. The story feels disjointed because it moves around so much – at times bordering on incomprehensible – largely due to puzzling editing choices and a shortage of explanation and background information, especially for viewers unfamiliar with the central figure's life. There are also some unusual casting decisions, like W. Earl Brown’s portrayal of Alabama Governor George Wallace, who doesn’t resemble the conservative Southern Democrat who also ran for President in 1972 and was shot during his campaign. Even Regina King’s performance seems somewhat atypical as she struggles to fully embody Chisholm's distinctive personality and way of speaking, qualities that don't always connect, despite her strong physical likeness to the character. Lance Reddick delivers a notably excellent performance—one of his finest—as Chisholm’s political advisor, making his contribution particularly memorable given it was one of his final roles onscreen. It is regrettable that this influential social and political leader hasn't been honored with a film worthy of her legacy. “Shirley” might have functioned better as a limited series; that format probably would have allowed for a more thorough telling of her story, considering the level of detail it aims to present. Ultimately, given how determined she was to overcome the obstacles before her, it’s disappointing that the movie attempting to show that effort doesn't live up to what she so earnestly tried to achieve.

Source on TMDB