Street Fight (2005)

100% of critics liked it
(22 reviews)
86% of users liked it
(2,755 ratings)

A hotly contested political race generates a wealth of drama in this documentary from filmmaker Marshall Curry. Sharpe James is a veteran politician who has been mayor of Newark, NJ, since 1986; by the admission of his own spokespeople, James is a "machine" politician who uses muscle and influence… More A hotly contested political race generates a wealth of drama in this documentary from filmmaker Marshall Curry. Sharpe James is a veteran politician who has been mayor of Newark, NJ, since 1986; by the admission of his own spokespeople, James is a "machine" politician who uses muscle and influence to get things done, and while he's enjoyed the fruits of his success, his administration has been accused of having a long history of corruption. In 2002, Cory Booker, a lawyer who was a member of the Newark City Council, announced he was running for mayor, and it didn't take long for the contest to get ugly. Booker was a graduate of Yale Law School, a Rhodes Scholar, and an advocate of more open and honest government, and James and his staff wasted no time in attacking his qualifications and personality in public. While both candidates were African-American, James chose to play the race card, questioning if Booker was "black" enough and suggesting the church-going Baptist was actually a Jew. James' campaign staff didn't stop at verbal attacks, and as Marshall Curry began covering the James and Booker campaigns, he found himself frequently attacked by James' supporters (with his camera running and in full view of other reporters), and a number of local businessmen stated for the record that they were supporting James for fear of reprisals later on. The film that resulted from Curry's efforts, Street Fight, received a 2005 Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 26 min.
Directed By: Marshall Curry
Genres: Documentary, Special Interest

In Theaters: Jan 1, 2005 Wide
On DVD: Jan 9, 2007
Studio: Marshall Curry Productions

Critic Reviews

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
It's utterly fascinating, and if you don't follow New Jersey politics, you will be kept in the dark about the outcome of this 2002 race almost to the end.
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
[Marshall] Curry's picture is must-see fare for any and every observer of the curious world of American politics.
Sam Allis, Boston Globe
The documentary is simple and strong and small. Its grit lifts it above its mechanical shortcomings.
Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor
If you didn't already realize that politics can be a dirty business, then Marshall Curry's Oscar-nominated documentary will set you straight.
David Denby, New Yorker
In brief, Marshall Curry, the young director of Street Fight, has hit the documentary jackpot.
Jack Mathews, New York Daily News
James is his own worst enemy in the documentary, behaving in public as a near caricature of Boss Tweed. But he won and is now serving out his fifth term.
Peter Keough, Boston Phoenix
Funny, infuriating, and suspenseful, Street Fight is both a critique of the process and a vindication.
Devin Faraci, CHUD
Street Fight isn't going to restore your faith in our desperately broken electoral system, but Cory Booker -- and the last moments of the movie -- may help you harbor that little flame of hope.
Andy Klein, Los Angeles CityBeat
"...completely gripping and enraging."
John A. Nesbit, Old School Reviews
a primer for any aspiring politician to see the worst of what he can expect
Kam Williams, NewsBlaze
Booker and James square-off for a heavyweight political fight reminiscent of Holyfield vs. Tyson, except for the eating of ears.
Kam Williams, NewsBlaze
An eye-opening expose' which would be considered comical were it not for the fact that Newark was a city in crisis due to the absence of ethics which had saturated City Hall.
Steve Schneider, Orlando Weekly
It's essential viewing to prove to yourself that you're not so cynical after all.
Chris Barsanti, Filmcritic.com
an amazing work, thrilling and informative in equal amounts, reminding us that democracy isn't just fought over on message boards and foreign battlegrounds, but also on our very streets
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
There's no question which side Curry favors, but he turns Street Fight into an old fashioned political yarn, featuring hand-pumping and baby-kissing, but also a dash of blood fury.
Ken Fox, TV Guide's Movie Guide
It's a fascinating film, simultaneously enthralling, infuriating and guaranteed to make viewers ask how such a perversion of the political process could be taking place in America.
Bob Strauss, Los Angeles Daily News
It's kind of reassuring to see good old-fashioned dirty politics practiced with as much gusto as they are in the Oscar-nominated documentary Street Fight.
Scott Foundas, L.A. Weekly
This is classical activist filmmaking of the first order, a movie with the power to turn hearts, change minds and, just maybe, right the wayward course of an entire city.

Read all 18 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Daniel H

A well spun, if moralized and occasionally amateur, tale on the inequities of city-level politiking. The films subject matter is engaging, and is more than enough to carry the film, and this is lucky, because the actual skill behind the documentary is lackluster, however honest and… More
A well spun, if moralized and occasionally amateur, tale on the inequities of city-level politiking. The films subject matter is engaging, and is more than enough to carry the film, and this is lucky, because the actual skill behind the documentary is lackluster, however honest and diligent it may be.
Walter M

[font=Century Gothic]"Street Fight" is an enlightening documentary about the 2002 Newark, New Jersey mayoral election between four-time incumbent Sharpe James and challenger Cory Booker, a first-term city councilman, originally from the suburbs, who moved to Newark to make a… More
[font=Century Gothic]"Street Fight" is an enlightening documentary about the 2002 Newark, New Jersey mayoral election between four-time incumbent Sharpe James and challenger Cory Booker, a first-term city councilman, originally from the suburbs, who moved to Newark to make a difference, living in the low-income housing project, Brick Towers. By focusing on this municipal election, the documentary shines a light on elections in general and asks some very important questions about democracy. For example, when Booker is not spending a good deal of time simply raising funds, he has to deflect some of the sillier attacks against him, including his being Jewish and Republican.(Both candidates are black and Democrats. Newark is predominantly black.) All of which leaves little time for Booker to address the serious issues of reform that drew him to Newark in the first place.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]The filmmaker is banned repeatedly from Sharpe James' campaign appearances while also being deeply ensonced in Cory Booker's campaign. So, "Street Fight" does come to side with Cory Booker and this does seem strange for a documentary about an election where some objectivity would be expected. Plus, the movie's New York City release date was rather close to the 2006 Newark mayoral election. [/font]
Keith M

Great Documentary that takes you deep into the crazy world of New Jersey politics. NJ is one of the most corrupt states in the United States and has been for a long time. You probably can't mow your lawn without a permit in some towns. This film takes place in the largest and… More
Great Documentary that takes you deep into the crazy world of New Jersey politics. NJ is one of the most corrupt states in the United States and has been for a long time. You probably can't mow your lawn without a permit in some towns. This film takes place in the largest and also its worst city, Newark, during the 2002 mayor race. The film focuses around Cory Booker's campaign. it really shows you all the ups and downs that he had to go through to get where he is today. To get a little politcal, Cory Booker has really turned around Newark and brought life back into a city that looked to never survive again. I love Obama, but later on history might show that Booker was really the chosen one. This would be a great time to make a Star Wars Reference, like Booker is Luke and Obama is.....well lets hope Obama doesn't turn to be that guy.