City Hall

City Hall is a sprawling, intricate documentary film from the prolific director Frederick Wiseman, who has built his career creating immersive, exploratory pieces featuring everything from dance companies to zoos. In this 2020 slice of life documentary, the gears and wheels of Boston's city government serve as the subject matter.

The film showcases Boston's day-to-day processes in vivid detail, meticulously exploring every nook and cranny of the city's administrative structure. From its intricate bureaucracy to its dynamic, ethnically diverse population, City Hall tells a profound tale of civic responsibility, underscoring the essence of the democratic process. A cornucopia of scenes portray moving instances of communal bonding, problem-solving, and quiet dedication.

Marty Walsh, known in real life as the Mayor of Boston, is the casual protagonist, conveying a deep sense of commitment to his daunting task. Though the film doesn't follow a traditional narrative arc or directly focus on personal characters, Walsh emerges as a genuinely dedicated public servant who holds his city's beating heart in his hands, often bearing witness to his passionate approach to resolving the diverse issues his populace faces.

From housing to racial injustice, public safety, veterans' affairs, and the rights of immigrants, Wiseman paints a vivid and intimate portrait of the work required to maintain a bustling apparatus like Boston. The film also explores its history and the social, economic, and racial inequalities that the city government is striving to address.

This film is more akin to a social study than a drama, providing a window into the delicate yet powerful balance between society's needs and the administration's resources. The resilient spirit of Boston shines as various department heads, council members, and residents tackle issues head-on, irrespective of their complexity.

Sometimes, the film draws us into the bustling robustness of Boston’s City Hall, an imposing brutalist building that frequently hosts emotional public hearings and contentious interdepartmental meetings. At other times, it takes us deep into the corners of municipal Boston, revealing a world often unseen: a police training seminar, a snowplow briefing, a community cookout, or an ad-hoc meeting in a coffee shop.

Indeed, the strength of City Hall lies in such moments: the seemingly mundane instances that impart a profound sense of humanity, fostering an understanding of the immense responsibility local governments bear.

Situated at the human core of a complex administrative wheel, Walsh’s dedication to his city provides the backbone to Wiseman's exploration of Boston’s governmental processes. His roles range from managing a crisis in the snow removal department to passionately defending immigrant rights, emphasizing the spectrum of challenges faced in public service.

Championing an observational style of filmmaking, Frederick Wiseman, who is well-known for his works such as “Ex Libris: New York Public Library” and “At Berkeley”, allows events to unfurl in front of our eyes. This objective lens enhances the sense of realism and authenticity, reinforcing an important notion: the city is a living, breathing organism that requires significant care, skill, and, most importantly, empathy.

City Hall is a marathon of a film, clocking in at a hefty four and a half hours. However, Wiseman's directorial prowess turns what could have been a drawn-out affair into an intriguing study. Strong in its quiet observations and flow of the day-to-day, it’s a testament to the extraordinary blend of patience, tenacity, and heart that it takes to run a city.

In a nutshell, City Hall is a compelling exploration of the inner workings of Boston, providing fascinating glimpses into a world usually known only to city workers. Through Marty Walsh's leadership and the efforts of many dedicated individuals, Wiseman's film captures the nuanced beauty of civic life and the collective effort to make a city function efficiently. Grounded in reality and rich with humanity, City Hall is a remarkable tour-de-force that illuminates the beauty in bureaucracy and the universal struggle for a better city.