The unofficial subtitle of A Very Real City — Steve James' long, interesting portrait of Chicago — is “The American City at the Crossroads.” The subtitle appears on screen above a map of the city divided into neighbourhoods, and is not used in each of the four episodes, yet its initial inclusion underscores the startling duality of the documentary series. First and foremost, there is the crisis facing Chicago. Police shootings and gang violence led to racial and economic divisions. Citizens are fleeing to other urban areas in hopes of finding safer, more affordable homes and better jobs. Political corruption has long ravaged the city, but the 2019 mayoral election represents voters' best chance to upend the status quo.
That election, and its unprecedented 21 candidates, were the ostensible focus of James' four-hour series. But if it wasn't already clear from the topical descriptions above, there's a lot more to 'The Very Real City'…
