By John Delia
One of the most touching documentaries to come to the screen Koch takes you into the world of the man who shaped New York City. Due to his recent passing, the film becomes homage to the determined man who had vision. If you like historical facts surrounding important men in history or are just a New York native, then this film is a must see.
The film explores the origins, career and legacy of Edward Irving Koch who served the city of New York for 11 years with a strong hand and a sympathetic mind. While he fought some tough battles for reelection, his following give him a lot of support. It shows that Koch was good for the city in spite of his strong political ideals and inflexibility at times.
The documentary follows his three terms in office, his influence on those who followed him and the aspirations he had for his own funeral. The movie has excellent direction by Neil Barsky who makes his fact finding mission a worthwhile presentation of Koch for anyone interested in the man and his contribution to one of the biggest cities on Earth.
The following is a statement made by the Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo that appeared in the New York Post on the passing of former Mayor of New York City, Edward Koch.
“With the passing of Ed Koch, New York has lost one of our most admired public leaders. Ed Koch embodied the highest ideals of public service and his life was dedicated toward making New York – the city and our state – a better place for all. From his days on the front lines of World War II, his time in Congress, to his leadership as Mayor guiding New York City through difficult years, Ed Koch never strayed from his unwavering commitment to serving others”.
FINAL ANALYSIS:Â Nicely produced the film gets to the heart of the real Ed Koch. (B)
Additional Film Information:
- Cast: Ed Koch
- Directed by: Neil Barsky
- Genre: Documentary, Biography
- MPAA Rating: Unrated
- Running Time: 1 hr 35 min
- Opening Date: March 22, 2013
- Distributed by: Zeitgeist Films