Review of Battle for Brooklyn (2011) by Courtney S — 12 Nov 2011

A well-told story of a really potent political issue - the invocation of eminent domain where public subsidies are used to enrich developers (also including a stadium, real Dave Zirin territory here). The documentary stretches over many years, optimistic promises, the economic crash and the subsequent stand-still in construction, the non-existence of promised jobs and fare hikes due to the developer paying only 20% he promised the MAT.

It's an I-told-you-so sort of loss, but one that's well documented and because it followed the entire process, showed that yes the pastor (who lives in New Jersey) and the self-styled grassroots representative of Brooklynites were both paid off by the developer, that the jobs never do appear and that Jay-Z may be on the developer's side but Rosie Perez, Steve Buscemi and John Turtorro are on the side of those fighting it, which is a good and kickass place to be.