They say all politics is local. But unless something goes wrong most of us take for granted the necessary services that local government oversees. The City of Boston oversees police, fire, sanitation, veterans affairs, recordkeeping and hundreds of other often unseen activities that support millions of residents, workers and visitors. Even Mayor Marty Welch acknowledges, "I don't think we do a good enough job of telling the story of what we actually do."

Luckily for us all, master documentarian Frederick Wiseman is this city's storyteller. His beautiful Boston symphony takes viewers into the public and backroom discussions that can either inspire or stall municipal action. The film also illustrates the variety of ways the city administration enters into civil discourse with the diverse Boston citizenry. Weiseman is a patient, thoughtful and curious director whose camera finds the mesmerizing in the mundane. Don't miss this thrilling exploration of civil society and the common good.