City Hall

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Daniel S When a Political Thriller Trips Over Its Own Ego the movie that really thought it was about to redefine political thrillers… and then gracefully face-planted into mediocrity. Let’s give credit where it’s painfully due.. the opening is brutal, shocking, and genuinely powerful. A stray bullet kills a 6-year-old kid during a mob-related shootout, and boom.. moral stakes, emotional punch, instant gravity. You’re ready for a smart, vicious takedown of political corruption, something sharp, dark, unforgettable. You think.. "Okay, this might actually go HARD." Spoiler.. it absolutely does not. Instead, we get a slow burn breakdown of corruption where money puppeteers everyone, judges are suddenly besties with mayors, and mobsters casually pull favors like it’s happy hour. Kevin Calhoun (John Cusack) starts as the wide-eyed idealist deputy and slowly realizes politics is just a clown show in expensive suits. Cool arc. Solid concept. Al Pacino chews the scenery like it owes him money. Danny Aiello? Straight-up phenomenal. And then… Bridget Fonda appears. Because obviously what this dark, tragic political scandal really needed was a completely pointless almost-romantic subplot that contributes exactly zero to the investigation. Her character exists solely to smile, flirt, and remind us that Hollywood once thought "pretty blonde = emotional depth." Revolutionary. The film builds all this tension, all this moral weight, all this bleak realism.. only to end on the cinematic equivalent of a polite shrug. Instead of a haunting, devastating conclusion, we get a weirdly upbeat wrap-up with political campaigning and cute little wisecracks. Because nothing screams "child murdered by stray bullet" like a feel-good final note, right? The tone shift is so wild it feels like someone swapped the final reel with a rejected TV pilot. Confusing? Yes. Disappointing? Massively. Ironic? Painfully. And the real crime? The wasted potential. With writers behind Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, and Raging Bull, you’d expect fireworks. What we got instead was a damp sparkler and a forced smile. This could’ve been the Heat of political cinema. Instead, it’s the "meh" of serious dramas. 🎬😤 Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 11/24/25 Full Review Garry A It's a decent film about political corruption. Al Pacino's performance is the reason I'd recommend it. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 04/25/25 Full Review steve d Not great but very good. things move fast in the beginning so if you're not paying attention important facts may pass you by. If you can't put your phone away this might not be for you. A case of one hand washing the other leading to the ruin of many. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/29/24 Full Review Earl T Could have been a two parter of L&0 -SUV...Liked it but at times Pacino was a little over acting. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/20/24 Full Review j F Excellent acting, a realistic portrayal of the corruption facing NYC. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/16/24 Full Review j f John Cusack is pretty good at adolescent brooding, equally awful at anything else, and his regional accents are atrocious. Also, the movie itself isn’t very good. Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 10/07/24 Full Review Read all reviews

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