‘City Hall’ Gets A Losing Vote
Al Pacino does so much strenuous Acting-with-a-capital-A in “City Hall” that, at first, I was worried he was going to hurt himself. Then I started to wish he would.
His role - the wee mayor of New York City - is an actor’s dream, and our nightmare. He doesn’t have very many scenes, but they’re loud, showy and full of big gestures, giving Pacino the chance to combine the oratory style of Jesse Jackson with the hyper antics of Kramer on “Seinfeld.” This mayor spends more time hugging people than going to meetings, but he’s under fire as a result of a government cover-up that may involve top-level city officials.
“City Hall” is high-minded, wellintentioned and awful. The problems begin with a scene at a child’s funeral, which the mayor attends “because it’s the right thing to do.” His eulogy for the kid quickly turns into a self-serving campaign speech. That a mayor would take a child’s death and make it about himself is perhaps not surprising, but what is surprising is that nobody in the movie notices. Even the parents act like turning their child’s last goodbye into a photo op is a swell plan.
From then on, “City Hall” goes down a dreary, cliched road of mobsters and backroom politicking that is both complicated and dull, because we’ve seen it in dozens of better films (not to mention every week on “NYPD Blue”). The movie is filmed in drearily tasteful blackand-brown, and with Martin Landau, Tony Franciosa, David Paymer and Danny Aiello all in the cast - well, it’s quite a meaty bunch of hams.
The only reason to make “City Hall” is its “surprise” conclusion, which couldn’t be more obvious if Hansel and Gretel had left a trail of bread crumbs leading us to it. In fact, the only real surprise is John Cusack, who is blessedly understated as Pacino’s principled aide. In this company, a performance so subtle and so intelligent has to be a mistake.
MEMO: Two sidebars appeared with the story: “City Hall” Locations: East Sprague, Newport and Coeur d’Alene cinemas. Credits: Directed by Harold Becker; starring John Cusack, Al Pacino and Bridget Fonda Running time: 1:52 Rating: R
Other views Here’s what other critics say about “City Hall:” Michael Rechtshaffen/The Hollywood Reporter: Boasting smart, taut writing and fine performances from leads Al Pacino and John Cusack, this intriguing backstage look at big-city politics compensates in finesse what it may lack in original plot lines. Bob Thomas/Associated Press: … a dynamic political drama with superior acting and wide significance. The competing forces of city governance have rarely been portrayed with such immediacy and incisiveness.
Other views Here’s what other critics say about “City Hall:” Michael Rechtshaffen/The Hollywood Reporter: Boasting smart, taut writing and fine performances from leads Al Pacino and John Cusack, this intriguing backstage look at big-city politics compensates in finesse what it may lack in original plot lines. Bob Thomas/Associated Press: … a dynamic political drama with superior acting and wide significance. The competing forces of city governance have rarely been portrayed with such immediacy and incisiveness.