Is it possible to find a balance as a politician between a sense of altruism and relentless opportunism? Show Me A Hero, a nonfiction political drama co-written by William F. Zorzi and The Wire mastermind David Simon, gives a mixed answer to this question, while managing to craft a story that invokes a sense of tragedy as well as triumph. Directed by Crash’s Paul Haggis, initially it seems as if it’s the kind of miniseries that wants to force feed a message down the audience’s throats, and early on some scenes involving angry citizens look as if the characters are going to be cast in broad strokes with no room for complexity.
Luckily, Simon has great attention to detail and he portrays each side of the debate with empathy and understanding. The series definitely has an opinion and there are villains, but it doesn’t set out to completely vilify or disregard any perspective. Most of the major characters get moments of sympathy and are also allowed to make mistakes.
Oscar Isaac is ideally cast and bears a striking resemblance to the real Nick Wasickso. He’s a former police officer (and die-hard Springsteen fan, who makes up a bulk of the soundtrack) turned Yonkers City Council member and eventually its youngest ever mayor, who finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place when he’s forced to obey the order of federal judge Leonard B. Sand (Bob Balaban) to desegregate the city’s public housing and allow 200 homes to be built for needy families. Jumping at the chance to run for mayor after coaxing from party members, Wasicsko bases his campaign against incumbent Angelo R. Martinelli (in a solid performance from Jim Belushi, despite his limited screen time) against the housing order, and feels the sky is the limit when he wins the office.
However, the housing order comes back to haunt him in the form of severe fines against Yonkers that eventually balloon into nearly $1 million a day, crippling the city’s basic service. Wasicsko finds he has no choice but to obey the court order to keep the town from collapsing in on itself, which goes against the public sentiment against the townhouses due to racial tension brought on by long time segregation. The fallout sends Wasicsko’s career into a rollercoaster ride, taking a toll on his sense of idealism on top of his self esteem.
Meanwhile, Simon and company explore various side arcs of the families living in low income housing in Yonkers, showing various viewpoints among the tension, including homeowner Mary Dorman (a very good Catherine Keener) who also has conflicting views on the housing and gets some great character development as her opinion evolves, as well as the trials of young mother Billie Rowan (Dominique Fishback).
Show Me A Hero’s biggest strength is the engagement of its cast into the story, and they do an excellent job making what could have been a fairly dry and slow plot into intense drama. Winona Ryder is a strong presence as Vinni Restiano, the council president who challenges Wasicsko on his hypocrisies, and Alfred Molina is a fearsome antagonist as council member Hank Spallone, who remains consistently opposed to the court order and displays a stronger political savvy than the more naive Nick. Clarke Peters has a dignified and noticeable presence as consultant Bob Mayhawk, and in a subtle but effective scene where they sit down to tea and discuss organizing efforts for neighborhood improvements, the expressions on Keener’s face as the Dorman character make it clear her defenses have been penetrated.
Isaac in particular shines, gaining the sympathy of the audience as well as our pity. He’s affable, charming and at times seems like an excitable big kid in his happier moments, a fierce public advocate in the midst of his political battles, and when the system begins to bear down on his idealism he can rip your heart out in his frustration and despair. There’s a slight bit of irony in the title, based on an F. Scott Fitzgerald reference (“Show me a hero and I’ll show you a tragedy”)- at no point does Simon try to condemn Wasicsko, but the story does present him as a man consumed with a desire to be beloved or at least seen as a winner. His natural decency is countered by a crippling sense of insecurity and often he can be his own worst enemy.
Andrij Parekh has some great cinematography on display, including a powerful scene when Nick escapes from an angry mob and his car is attacked (which I admit made me chuckle, as it reminded me of the “ratesucker” Progressive commercial). And say what you will about Haggis, but he knows how to get some powerful performances out of casts despite challenging scrips. I can happily recommend Show Me A Hero as an intelligent and fascinating story about race and class that’s both opinionated as well as hopeful, and the acting elevates it to where it can be enjoyed even if you’re not the political wonk its protagonist is.