Koch (2013)
85%RT Audience Score: 76%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Koch allows its subject’s sheer force of personality to dominate the picture — but when that personality is this delightful, that’s easy to forgive
Koch” is like a rollercoaster ride through the life of a man who was both loved and hated by the people of New York City. The documentary does a great job of showing the many sides of Ed Koch, from his combative nature to his love for the city he governed. It’s a fascinating look at a complicated man who left a lasting impact on the city he called home. Whether you loved him or hated him, “Koch” is a must-see for anyone interested in the history of New York City politics. Plus, who doesn’t love a good political documentary?
Production Company(ies)
Macrocosm Entertainment, Citizen Skull Productions, Bond It Media Capital
Distributor
Zeitgeist
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
2013
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:NA
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Runtime:1h 38m
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Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Feb 1, 2013 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 27, 2013
Genre(s)
Documentary/Biography
Keyword(s)
documentary, biography, Ed Koch, Neil Barsky, Jenny Carchman, Lindsey Megrue, Mark De Gli Antoni, Tom Hurwitz, Juliet Weber, New York City, mayor, politics, personality, box office, gross USA, Zeitgeist, rated, reviewed, produced by, directed by, written by, critic reviews, audience score, runtime, distributor, English, limited release, streaming, rent/buy, documentary film, former mayor, AIDS crisis, conservative, liberal, Jewish, acting appearances, interview subjects, Jimmy Breslin, Al Sharpton, tabloids, controversies, contradictions, New York story, city governance, city services, suburbanites, tourists, Greenwich Village, Washington Post, Variety, Hollywood Reporter, Philadelphia Inquirer, Boston Globe, Chicago Reader, Oregonian, EntertainmentTell, Michael O’Sullivan, Ronnie Scheib, THR Staff, Steven Rea, Mark Feeney, J R Jones, Mattie Lucas, Kevin Jagernauth, Frank Swietek, Rob Thomas, Jamie S Rich
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Jenny Carchman – Producer
Lindsey Megrue – Producer
Mark De Gli Antoni – Original Music
Tom Hurwitz – Cinematographer
Juliet Weber – Film Editing
Director(s)
Neil Barsky
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (42) | Top Critics (23) | Fresh (38) | Rotten (4)
Like the city, Koch comes across here as brash, contradictory, almost endlessly fascinating and a bit sad.
November 3, 2020
Michael O’Sullivan
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Barsky wisely includes just enough dissenting voices and admissions of grievous error by Koch himself to prevent the pic from seeming like a 100% feel-good puff piece.
November 3, 2020
Ronnie Scheib
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Koch offers as comprehensive a picture as it can in 94 minutes of a man whose tenure merits a miniseries.
November 3, 2020
THR Staff
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
He was certainly combative, and confident, and full of love for the city he governed with such gusto. Koch is a New York story for the whole world to appreciate.
April 26, 2013 | Rating: 3.5/4
Steven Rea
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
What he really was was one of a kind. Whether intentionally or not, “Koch” shows that that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
April 11, 2013 | Rating: 3/4
Mark Feeney
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
An emphasis on Koch the character obscures his administration.
March 14, 2013
J. R. Jones
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
It isn’t really any more illuminating beyond the history we already know, but it humanizes the man in a way rarely seen in the national media.
August 6, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
Mattie Lucas
From the Front Row
Both as a portrait of a changing New York City and the man who was at the epicentre of that evolution for over a decade, Koch is a delight.
August 28, 2013 | Rating: B
Kevin Jagernauth
The Playlist
An engaging if incomplete portrait of an unconventional politician.
May 17, 2013 | Rating: B
Frank Swietek
One Guy’s Opinion
Forget “A Tale of Two Cities:” – the documentary “Koch” is a tale of two mayors. At LEAST two.
May 9, 2013 | Rating: 3/4
Rob Thomas
Capital Times (Madison, WI)
The film neither glorifies nor vilifies. Instead, it treats triumphs and controversies with equal balance.
May 8, 2013 | Rating: 3.5/5
Jamie S. Rich
Oregonian
A fascinating, multi-faceted look at a very complicated man, a quintessential New Yorker who was both an uncommonly skilled politician and, at times, a tremendous jerk.
May 2, 2013 | Rating: 4/5
Stephen Silver
EntertainmentTell…
Plot
Koch is a documentary about the life of former New York City Mayor Ed Koch, showcasing his forceful personality and his impact on the city during his tenure.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film Koch on Fresh Kernels.
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