City of Hope (1991)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

John Sayles

Writer (WGA):

John Sayles (written by)

Release Date:

15 November 1991 (UK)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

City of Hope is a portrait of a typical middle-sized American city of the present day. The crux of the...

Plot Keywords:

Politics | Political Corruption | Racism | Urban Life | Independent Film

Awards:

5 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Vincent Spano	...	Nick Rinaldi
Stephen Mendillo	...	Yoyo
Chris Cooper	...	Riggs
Tony Lo Bianco	...	Joe Rinaldi
Joe Morton	...	Wynn
Charlie Yanko	...	Stavros
Jace Alexander	...	Bobby
Todd Graff	...	Zip
Scott Schutzman Tiler	...	Vinnie (as Scott Tiler)
John Sayles	...	Carl
Frankie Faison	...	Levonne
Gloria Foster	...	Jeanette
Tom Wright	...	Malik
Angela Bassett	...	Reesha
David Strathairn	...	Asteroid

Runtime:

129 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | South Korea:15 | UK:15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | USA:R | Finland:K-16

Filming Locations:

Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Company:

Esperanza Films Inc.

Quotes:

Zip: Figures. We finally get a chick in the band, and she's a lesbian.
Bobby: How do you know?
Zip: I asked her if she wanted go out with me, she said No.
Bobby: Zip, this town's full of chicks who won't go out with you.
Zip: Yeah. Lesbians, all of 'em.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Adam & Eva (1997)

Director John Sayles brings something rare to American movies: a keen sense of purpose. The result is gutsy, knockdown entertainment.

Building contractors, politicians, crime bosses and racist cops all contribute to this kaleidoscopic analysis of a New Jersey city riddled with corruption.

City Of Hope is a masterly deconstruction of the power plays, vested interests and spheres of influence that run, and often ruin American cities. Unrivalled in its sheer scope and ambition until the TV series The Wire, which it almost certainly influenced. John Sayles's most satisfying film. City Of Hope is epic, masterly, urgent, adult and unforgettable. Put simply - which is grossly unfair to its complexity - it is Bonfire Of The Vanities without the vanities.