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City Hall

City Hall

Drama · Thriller · 1996

The accidental shooting of a boy in New York City leads to an investigation by the Deputy Mayor, and unexpectedly far-reaching consequences.

Movie details

City Hall

“It started with a shootout on a rainswept street and ended in a scandal that shattered New York.”

1996 Drama · Thriller 1h 51m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.0 / 10

Community rating

The accidental shooting of a boy in New York City leads to an investigation by the Deputy Mayor, and unexpectedly far-reaching consequences.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over City Hall?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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In a broken city rife with injustice, ex-cop Billy Taggart seeks redemption and revenge after being double-crossed and then framed by its most powerful figure, the mayor. Billy's relentless pursuit of justice, matched only by his streetwise toughness, makes him an unstoppable force - and the mayor's worst nightmare.

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The Siege

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Harold Becker

Written by

Bo Goldman · Ken Lipper · Paul Schrader · Nicholas Pileggi

Al Pacino

Al Pacino

Mayor John Pappas

John Cusack

John Cusack

Kevin Calhoun

Bridget Fonda

Bridget Fonda

Marybeth Cogan

Danny Aiello

Danny Aiello

Frank Anselmo

Martin Landau

Martin Landau

Judge Walter Stern

David Paymer

David Paymer

Abe Goodman

Anthony Franciosa

Anthony Franciosa

Paul Zapatti

Court is in session

Put City Hall on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.