Anytown, USA (2005)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Kristian Fraga

Release Date:

9 DECEMBER 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary

Tagline:

All Politics is Local

Plot:

Three Candidates, Two blind Politicians, One Race. Anytown USA follows a tightly run race in the small town of Bogota, New Jersey and resonates as an all-too-familiar look at partisan politics in our increasingly polarized nation.

Plot Keywords:

Behind The Scenes | Election Campaign | Political Documentary | Independent Film

Cast

Steve Lonegan	...	Himself
Fred Pesce	...	Himself
Dave Musikant	...	Himself
Doug Friedline	...	Himself
Bill Palatucci	...	Himself
George Shaloub	...	Himself
Joe Noto	...	Himself
Melissa Schnipp	...	Herself
Tom Layson	...	Himself
Janine Strafaci	...	Herself
Drew Speier	...	Himself
Alan Bookspan	...	Himself
Allison Bookspan	...	Herself
Eileen Karpoff	...	Herself
Tom Dematrakis	...	Himself

Runtime:

USA:93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

Bogota, New Jersey, USA

Company:

XMark Monkey

Movie Connections:

Edited from "News 12 New Jersey" (1996)

Soundtrack:

Danse Boheme

Of the people, for the people, by the people?

You couldn't cast this film with actors and capture the true banality and raw pathos of small town politics as this documentary does. The director here does an excellent job of storytelling in recording the efforts of a rank outsider who runs on little other than chutzpah and sheer enthusiasm against an apparently justifiably despised incumbent mayor. The twists and turns of the campaign mirror the improbable feats of the local high school football team who go on their own miraculous underdog run. But the film's true value lies in its ability to show the nastiness that politics brings out in people and democracy's capacity for excitement and frustration. An excellent story, told in an unadorned fashion, well worth a look.