Street Fight (2005) on Netflix
NR20051h 23mDocumentary
In Newark's 2002 mayoral race, City Councilman Cory Booker challenges longtime incumbent Sharpe James. As Booker campaigns door to door, city workers move to sabotage his bid.
- Netflix4.5/5
- IMDb7.9/102,167 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes100%
Trailer
Plot summary
In 2002, Cory Booker, a young City Council member and community activist, challenges Sharpe James, Newark's sixteen-year incumbent mayor, in a bid for City Hall. The campaign pits Booker and his door-knocking workers against James's powerful political machine. Questions arise about Booker's background: his race, religion, and residence in a public housing complex called Brick Towers, which some call a tactic to win acceptance. Prominent African American figures endorse him. As the race intensifies, city employees and police work to undermine Booker's campaign: they shut down businesses hosting his fundraisers, demote supporters, and tear down his signs despite a federal judge's order. In one scene, police assault the filmmaker on a sidewalk while he records the mayor.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Street Fight (2005)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- While filming Newark mayor Sharpe James in public, director Marshall Curry was assaulted by city police on a public sidewalk; they broke the microphone off his camera in broad daylight in front of other journalists.
- In July 2007, Sharpe James, the mayor that Booker ran against, faced federal charges. He was found guilty in 2008 of five fraud counts and got 27 months in prison.
