TIFF 2022: Sidney Review

This will be one of many reviews during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.

How does one capture the essence of one of the most important figures of Black Hollywood? How does one encapsulate a life of million shades in a single documentary? Reginald Hudlin’s Sidney tries hard to do all these, and then some more. Sidney Poitier was one of those stars whose life both on and off screen was a myriad of challenges and responsibilities – both personal and societal. Not just a prolific actor, but toward the end of his career he was also a booming comedy director. His death on January 6,  2022, shattered millions of hearts who long admired the legend.

Sidney kicks off right at the start of Poitier’s birth in Miami, Florida, with a harrowing story of his premature birth and expected death. After growing up in the Bahamas, he moved to the US. The film tracks Poitier’s life in chronological order, right from his first job as an actor at the American Negro Theatre to the end of his film career followed by years of retirement. Sidney ensures that the focus remains not just on his professional career, but also on his personal life and the many happenings in the US during the peak of his career, most importantly the Civil Rights movement and the killing of Martin Luther King Jr. The balance of covering these aspects is just right, and we feel Poitier evolving along with the country as changes and new laws sweep the country.

A lot of the context and backstories are set up through interviews with Poitier’s family and other important Black Hollywood figures of modern times. Featuring interviews with Oprah Winfrey (also a Producer), Spike Lee, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Robert Redford, and numerous others, the film is a testament to the grand impact Poitier has had on cinema as we know it today. Poitier’s family members recount intimate tales from his early years. Sidney also feels like a curated list of Poitier’s best and most influential films, clips from which are shown throughout the documentary. For someone who isn’t familiar with Poitier’s filmography, this is a gold mine. To name a few, The Defiant Ones (1958), Lilies of the Field (1963), To Sir, With Love (1967), Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967), Buck and the Preacher (1972). These films hold enormous significance in film history, especially when it comes to the on-screen representation of the Black community. Sidney shows us why these films hold the value they hold, and how Poitier’s work created cultural waves that very few other actors, Black or otherwise, could create in society.

Sidney does a commendable job of succinctly presenting the life of an icon. It never veers away from its subject but also makes sure that it covers as many aspects and events as possible. There is much to cherish and remember about Poitier’s many contributions to the world, and for those unaware of his works, this documentary is a stepping stone to realizing that.

still courtesy of Apple

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