Critical Acclaim For ‘KOCH’ By Neil Barsky

“Thrilling. . . . A mayor and a metropolis linked by tumultuous events in the worst and best of times.” —Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal

“As much a history of New York . . . as it is a portrait of the man. The movie will appeal to anyone who lived in—or followed—New York through the ’80s, but not exclusively to them. It’s ultimately a tale of humanity, not power.” —Michael O'Sullivan, The Washington Post

“Ed Koch appears as contentious, as mischievous and at times as inflammatory as ever. . . . A portrait of a complicated man in an era that is quickly fading in memory. . . . Like Walt Whitman . . . [Koch] is contradictory and multitudinous. . . . He is charming, infuriating and sometimes coy. . . . He can be exhausting . . . but he has never been boring.” —A.O. Scott, The New York Times

“Excellent. . . . Neither fawning nor eviscerating but always compelling. . . . Both liberal and judicious in [its] use of the rich trove of news footage. It pays off in creating a fascinating snapshot of the past.” —Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times

“Koch is a New York story for the whole world to appreciate.” —Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

“Goes deep into the social, economic and cultural issues that roiled the city and his administration. . . . Barsky examines this colorful, often dramatic parade with his veteran reporter’s eye.” —Joe Neumeier, New York Daily News

“Sharply made. . . . The glimpses of Koch’s bravado and colorful campaigning are invigorating.” —Clint O’Connor, Cleveland Plain Dealer

“Koch, skillfully directed and assembled by Neil Barsky, is a very good movie—vivid, touching, and fair.” —Hendrik Hertzberg, The New Yorker

“Nuanced and sophisticated. . . . Arguably both the most beloved and polarizing political figure in late 20th-century New York City history, former Mayor Ed Koch presents an uncommonly juicy subject for a documentary, and filmmaker Neil Barsky makes the most of the opportunity.” —Lou Lumenick, New York Post

“You don’t have to be a New Yorker or a political junkie to admire Neil Barsky’s documentary, Koch. Barsky presents testimony from a chorus of legendary reporters and public officials, including Hizzoner himself, who looks back with anger as well as regret, amusement and abundant pride.” —Casey Seiler, Albany Times Union “A wonderful retrospective of the political life of a quintessential son of New York City.” —Thane Rosenbaum, The Huffington Post

“Ed Koch’s story is so big and brash that this re-telling is wildly entertaining.” —Mike Hughes, Gannett

“Excellent.” —Josh Nathan-Kazis, The Jewish Daily Forward

“Fiercely honest. . . . intrigues and intoxicates like a David Mamet stage play. . . . Koch is a riveting portrait of a towering and polarizing man. It’s also great fun.” —Asawin Suebsaeng, Mother Jones

“A treasure trove of little moments that illuminate a famously cantankerous, sharp-elbowed, showboating personality. . . . Great fun.” —Rafer Guzmán, Newsday

“[Koch] has a born leading man’s command of the screen. . . . People talk about Ed Koch as being the quintessential New Yorker: feisty, full of himself, colorful, uninhibited. . . . What he really was was one of a kind. . . . Koch shows that that’s not necessarily a bad thing.” —Mark Feeney, The Boston Globe

“Barsky’s portrait . . . avoids hagiography at all costs, sinking its claws right into the controversy while touching on the biggest issues New York was facing while Koch was in charge. The archival seventies and eighties footage of the city way back when is a welcome addition.” —Miranda Siegel, New York Magazine

“ʻHow’m I doin’?’ Koch famously asked anyone and everyone he passed by, rarely hanging around for the answer. In Koch, for the most part, he does all right.” —Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic

“He was charismatic in a typically uncharismatic New York way. . . . Koch is affectionate, very fair. . . . I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed it. So well done.” —Joe Donahue, “The Roundtable,” Northeast Public Radio

“A sweeping yet personal cinematic portrait of the ‘quintessential New Yorker.’” —Bob Feinberg, MetroFocus

“An engaging, balanced, and well-constructed profile of a man and of his city, during some of the most turbulent times in its history.” —Basil Tsiokos, What (Not) to Doc

“A vital piece of New York history. It’s a canny balancing act.” —Vulture.com

“Both as a portrait of a changing New York City and the man who was at the epicenter of that evolution for over a decade, Koch is a delight.” —The Playlist