Also currently on YouTube as "Cory Booker before he was Mayor", this is an interesting documentary about Cory Booker's first race for Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. As this review is being written Mayor Booker is in the news for saving a woman from a burning building.

The film is mostly notable for the vivid depiction of the dirty tactics of Booker's incumbent opponent and the exploration of the politics of race within the African-American community. Actual discussion of policy is almost non existent as the film concentrates on the chronicle of the election. I also didn't feel like I got to know much about Booker as either a leader or as a person, just a candidate. Even with those flaws, as a campaign documentary it's decent and worth a watch for those interested in politics and internal race relations.

What a great documentary, it's completely engaging, surprising and it managed to really let the events show the story, it seems biased, but the explanation for the bias is in there with the other side no allowing to be documented and going above and beyond to prevent the documentarist to have any access to him. In the end it all feels so powerful and frustrating, but you still get some hope from seeing Cory Booker running for office with his principles help up high, but not without making you wonder if Sharpe James was like that when he got started and then seeing what he became.

Also currently on YouTube as "Cory Booker before he was Mayor", this is an interesting documentary about Cory Booker's first race for Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. As this review is being written Mayor Booker is in the news for saving a woman from a burning building.

The film is mostly notable for the vivid depiction of the dirty tactics of Booker's incumbent opponent and the exploration of the politics of race within the African-American community. Actual discussion of policy is almost non existent as the film concentrates on the chronicle of the election. I also didn't feel like I got to know much about Booker as either a leader or as a person, just a candidate. Even with those flaws, as a campaign documentary it's decent and worth a watch for those interested in politics and internal race relations.

Dirty politics is shown at its finest in the land of freedom and democracy.

Corruption and favouritism are investigated, tactics such as the vandalism of campaign material, strange break-ins, character assassination, police interference, the noise vans full of rapping, paying for out of town help and busing them in, harassing of the reporters, the threat of vote rigging and so on.

One drawback is that Booker never seems to be a character worthy of becoming Mayor. This is only countered by the villainous and dispicable appeal of his competitor.

The film misses the core money shots of a debate but this is forgivable. The angle involving an erotic bar was thankfully never overplayed like it easily could have been. Best of all, the election day showdown is not overdone, but what an eye-opening occasion it is.

The Reverence: Those rapping speaker vans!

Films like these, scare the living shit out of me ... Politics!! Argh!!