TheEmulator23 This is one of those documentaries that continued to surprise & goes to show just how slimy & supposedly powerful these longtime politicians can be. Worst than anything is the way all those around the mayor all think that just because he's the mayor, he's immune to everything. The previous mayor Sharpe James is such a slimy jerk it's disturbing and somebody needs to put this guy in his place. He is exactly like so many other politicians who say one thing like the previous Governor of N.Y. Elliot Spitzer who crusaded against prostitution than gets caught doing it himself. How this guy James became mayor is beyond my comprehension as he is so loud, brash, a racist against his own. In any other society wouldn't be anything special. Just as the saying goes, which is supposed to be a positive remark, it also applies negatively as well, "Only in America." A good documentary that if you already despise politics will make you despise them more, and to those that like them, it will open your eyes to the ugliness that is just about all campaigns, especially here in the U.S. A truly disturbing, but interesting film to say the least.

Rob Mulligan Anybody familiar with Michael Moore or Fredrick Wiseman or any other documentary filmmaker know that the documentary genre is a very powerful medium. I just watched the Film Street Fight, a film recommended to me by nice little online show called the Cinefiles, a group amateur critics who get together and talk about film. In their political documentary piece, they spent a good amount of time discussing the film and I said to myself, I have to see this film. The film is absolutely heartbreaking on how dirty a political campaign can be. With two political candidates of the same race running for major of Newark, NJ, the race turns into a battle of "authentic ethnicity". Cory Booker, the lighter skinned man running for mayor, runs a clean campaign about fighting against poverty and crime. I can't stress enough how good and powerful of a film this is…Check it out…And think to yourself…How far off is this going to be from the Hilary vs. Obama presidential campaign??? Oh yeah if you want to see the talk of the Cinefiles...either look it up on Youtube...Or go to myspace.com/cinefiles

asc85 It was interesting, and I enjoyed it. A little on the short side though...I believe it's running time is 83 minutes.In the director comments, Curry says this is "a film about Cory Booker, not a commercial about Cory Booker." I respectfully disagree with that. This film really shows no negatives about Booker. Is that "true"? I'm not sure. If it is true, then this film is an early look at one of the upcoming superstars in New Jersey (and probably American) politics. I can definitely see him running for Governor or Senator in the next 5-10 years. And then people will look back on this film with even more interest to see where it started.Sharpe James comes off looking pretty bad in this movie, and it seems deservedly so. However, as someone who has lived in New Jersey most of his life, I will say that Sharpe James was a huge improvement on the guy he replaced, Kenneth Gibson. The movie glosses over some of the things Sharpe James accomplished. Newark definitely still has a long way to go, but in my opinion, James left it in much better shape than when he got there in 1986.

Trent Merchant Curry's unvarnished style and long sequences enhance the real life drama as he allows the story to unfold in front of us instead of manufacturing the drama by clever editing. Shot with a hand held camera and edited on a Mac, Curry the film-maker mirrors the determination and resolve of his main subject, political challenger Cory Booker. Repeated confrontations in the film make it clear that Curry had an opportunity to make himself the focus of a compelling side story, but he removes his ego completely. He only inserts himself as an occasional off-camera participant whose voice serves as a traditional chorus uttering simple, yet poignant reminders of what is at stake beyond the specific election he is covering. Like his presence in the film, Curry's voice-over narration is also sparse, yet effective. He sticks to open-ended observations and realizations, without ever crossing the line to offer value judgments. With its simplicity, small cast including chorus, and theme of family torn asunder, it is not unlike Greek tragedy...