city hall take on the politics of a city rather than country and state or any sort of major political table . grant it shin on new york city which be a huge political arena and especially nowadays and but it still go for a small scale and put the microscope on a few key player in a city wide scandal stumble on by the mayor right hand . director harold becker be a director very familiar with element of the thriller have do mercury rise and malice and and domestic disturbance and i think in many way he incorporate so many of the formulaic thriller genre that it almost to a fault . i mean city hall be mean to be a political drama and not a thriller but instead when all be say and do and once you get to the meat and potato of the film it feel and look like a thriller but a decent one at that with very important part of the recipe that immediately make it stand out . what else . or rather who else . al pacino . the film begin by give you a really good look at life in the mayoral office and the inner working of the city . a the film continue it broaden it political spectrum to include a democratic bos and and his connection and then we be introduce to some of the going on within the city . a event unfold a mystery begin and the political aspect be kind of left in the background but it still have a brilliant set up . i absolutely hate talk about al pacino . i mean even if once he do not give a good performance how could i ever say it . the man be act royalty . there be just something brilliant about his entire demeanor . in city hall pacino play the new york city mayor . he have a sense of duty and honor and immediately appear to be a very upstanding politician . he also deliver one of the most powerful and outright engage speech i have ever see at the james bone funeral . i re watch that speech four time and the first time i watch pacino give it and my mouth gap open and i almost want to stand up and applaud . it brilliantly write and brilliantly deliver by pacino . john cusack and who i really do enjoy a an actor and turn in a mediocre and overdone performance a the deputy mayor kevin calhoun . he be kind of the focus of the film and him and pacino have good chemistry together when they be on screen but there be just something in this performance . he seem like he try too hard . his accent be just bizarre and and although he be suppose to be cutthroat and intimidate he doesn not get seem to pull it off . maybe he be have an off film . bridget fonda and on her way out of her high point stardom do an okay job a attorney for police widow marybeth cogan . her performance be very similar to cusack in that she just doesn not seem to find her groove with this character . danny aiello be terrific although his character be a little under explore a democratic bos with tie to the mafia frank anselmo . martin landau make a decent cameo a judge under scrutiny walter stern . the problem with city hall be evident in my review of the character and actor . everyone be . okay . there be a lot of back story that they try to bring out without actually show it and it unfortunately leave you just a little bit confuse about the whole conspiracy . and of course you have al pacino in a rather small support role but he absolutely brilliant at it and outshines and overshadows every other actor in the film . it almost feel like maybe they be intimidate by him be on screen with them . so city hall could have be this huge political epic drama or thriller but it felt cut and tone down to an average run of the mill one but it still have to be see for pacino and a different spin on the inner working of politics . if you just would not see this movie than find pacino speech at james bone funeral because the word electrify doesn not seem to give it justice but you can see what make al pacino so incredible because in a mediocre film he pull out this wallop of a speech and make you feel it . if youre a john cusack fan which i be . he definitely do well but he be the main character and all in all he do get his justice . a decent movie but unfortunately potential loss . 7 . 5/10 .