City Hall (1996)

reviewed by
Tim Voon

                                   CITY HALL 1996
                          A film review by Timothy Voon
                           Copyright 1997 Timothy Voon
                             1 :-) for a polished feel
                         2 :-( :-(  for being long winded

Cast: Al Pacino, John Cusack, Bridget Fonda, Danny Aiello, David Paymer, Martin Landau, Tony Franciosa Director: Harold Becker Screenplay: Ken Lipper, Nicholas Pileggi, Paul Schrader, and Bo Goldman

Sitting in the confines of polished stone walls and marble floors, the mayor of a town like NY makes his daily decisions amidst the whispers of his trusted counsellors. Behind the white-washed smiles of these white collared workers, everything seems perfect and in place. No one is expecting the unspeakable to happen when a distinguished police officer confronts a known drug dealer.

Gunfire between the dealer and the law. Both men drop dead amidst the flurry of bullets, but not before a small boy falls victim to a stray bullet of crossfire. The city mourns. The questions asked only leads to more questions unanswered. Why was this dangerous drug dealer given only a probationary sentence, when in fact he deserved a ten to twenty. So we travel the road of corruption, in this journey of ascension. With each step travelled and each clue uncovered, we find questions which can only be answered by the pinnacle of hierarchy. Here it is revealed, the greyness of power and the greeness of money. Where those with whom we place our trust, can only provide reasons for further injustice and false hope.

This movie is a long sit, with more dialogue than action to slow it's momentum. But fine performances from a charismatic Al Pacino as the city Mayor, John Cussack as his inquisitive deputy, and a small side role for Bridget Fonda the attorney.

Timothy Voon
e-mail: stirling@netlink.com.au

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