City Hall, the second collaboration Harold Becker with Al Pacino after Sea of Love in 1989), is a suspenseful political drama, also starring John Cusack, Bridget Fonda and Danny Aiello.
Grade: C+ (** out of *****)
City Hall
Theatrical release poster
In New York City, Detective Eddie Santos and mobster Tino Zapatti kill each other in a shootout. Unfortunately, a stray bullet also kills a n innocent passer by, a child.
In the wake of the tragedy, questions are raised as to why Judge Walter Stern (Martin Landau), an old friend of ambitious Mayor John Pappas (Pacino), had previously set Tino free on probation. Pappas’ loyal deputy mayor, Kevin Calhoun (John Cusack), decides to dig for answers.
Police union lawyer Marybeth Cogan (Bridget Fonda) begins an investigation, which uncovers conspiracy to smear Santos.
Calhoun’s investigation leads to Frank Anselmo, a Brooklyn politician with connections to Tino’s uncle, crime boss Paul Zapatti.
The scandal snowballs and Zapatti instructs Anselmo to commit suicide rather than become an informant or go to jail. To protect his family, Anselmo shoots himself.
Calhoun runs for city councilor and loses the election, but he remains steadfast on trying to make the city a better place to live.
City Hall was greeted with mixed reviews, due to its sharply uneven narrative and lack of coherence. As a result, commercial disappointment, failing to recoup its production budget.
Cast
Al Pacino as Mayor John Pappas
John Cusack as Kevin Calhoun
Bridget Fonda as Marybeth Cogan
Danny Aiello as Frank Anselmo
David Paymer as Abe Goodman
Martin Landau as Judge Walter Stern
Anthony Franciosa as Paul Zapatti
Richard Schiff as Larry Schwartz
Lauren Vélez as Elaine Santos
Murphy Guyer as Captain Florian
John Finn as Commissioner Coonan
John Slattery as Detective George
Stanley Anderson as Train Conductor
Harry Bugin as Morty the Waiter
Credits:
Directed by Harold Becker
Written by Kenneth Lipper, Paul Schrader. Nicholas Pileggi, Bo Goldman
Produced by Harold Becker, Kenneth Lipper, Charles Mulvehill Edward R. Pressman
Cinematography Michael Seresin
Edited by David Bretherton, Robert C. Jones
Music by Jerry Goldsmith
Production: Columbia Pictures, Castle Rock Entertainment
Distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing
Release date: February 16, 1996
Running time: 111 minutes
Budget $40 million
Box office $33.4 million
City Hall: Harold Becker’s Suspenseful Political Drama, Starring Al Pacino
City Hall, the second collaboration Harold Becker with Al Pacino after Sea of Love in 1989), is a suspenseful political drama, also starring John Cusack, Bridget Fonda and Danny Aiello.
Grade: C+ (** out of *****)
In New York City, Detective Eddie Santos and mobster Tino Zapatti kill each other in a shootout. Unfortunately, a stray bullet also kills a n innocent passer by, a child.
In the wake of the tragedy, questions are raised as to why Judge Walter Stern (Martin Landau), an old friend of ambitious Mayor John Pappas (Pacino), had previously set Tino free on probation. Pappas’ loyal deputy mayor, Kevin Calhoun (John Cusack), decides to dig for answers.
Police union lawyer Marybeth Cogan (Bridget Fonda) begins an investigation, which uncovers conspiracy to smear Santos.
Calhoun’s investigation leads to Frank Anselmo, a Brooklyn politician with connections to Tino’s uncle, crime boss Paul Zapatti.
The scandal snowballs and Zapatti instructs Anselmo to commit suicide rather than become an informant or go to jail. To protect his family, Anselmo shoots himself.
Calhoun runs for city councilor and loses the election, but he remains steadfast on trying to make the city a better place to live.
City Hall was greeted with mixed reviews, due to its sharply uneven narrative and lack of coherence. As a result, commercial disappointment, failing to recoup its production budget.
Cast
Al Pacino as Mayor John Pappas
John Cusack as Kevin Calhoun
Bridget Fonda as Marybeth Cogan
Danny Aiello as Frank Anselmo
David Paymer as Abe Goodman
Martin Landau as Judge Walter Stern
Anthony Franciosa as Paul Zapatti
Richard Schiff as Larry Schwartz
Lauren Vélez as Elaine Santos
Murphy Guyer as Captain Florian
John Finn as Commissioner Coonan
John Slattery as Detective George
Stanley Anderson as Train Conductor
Harry Bugin as Morty the Waiter
Credits:
Directed by Harold Becker
Written by Kenneth Lipper, Paul Schrader. Nicholas Pileggi, Bo Goldman
Produced by Harold Becker, Kenneth Lipper, Charles Mulvehill Edward R. Pressman
Cinematography Michael Seresin
Edited by David Bretherton, Robert C. Jones
Music by Jerry Goldsmith
Production: Columbia Pictures, Castle Rock Entertainment
Distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing
Release date: February 16, 1996
Running time: 111 minutes
Budget $40 million
Box office $33.4 million