City of Hope

A city pulses with racial problems, political corruption, and small-time crime in this ambitious microcosm of urban life, written and directed by John Sayles. Nick Rinaldi (Vincent Spano), a lost soul usually high on drink and drugs, has spent his life in one New Jersey city, getting free rides from ...more

In City of Hope, John Sayles thrusts the audience right into a drama playing out in their own backyard. And what a crowded backyard it is. The mythical city in turmoil is populated with more than a banana bunch of characters. Like Robert Altman, the main American purveyor of ensemble filming, Sayles manages to keep his balls in the air with remarkable acumen. He switches conversations and viewpoints so often that it's remarkable that a story finds its way through, unlike Richard Linklater's ...more