The film explores the government of
Boston, Massachusetts, from racial justice, housing, climate change action and more. Wiseman's documentaries do not have a standard narrative arc, narration, or interviews, but are based on observation of day-to-day organizational life, in this case the activities of Boston's city government in fall 2018 and winter 2019. Much of the film follows Mayor
Marty Walsh in activities such as meetings with aides at
City Hall, addressing business leaders about the impact of climate change on the
Harbor, listening to veterans at
Faneuil Hall on November 11, observing Thanksgiving Day at
Goodwill Industries, and giving his state of the city address at
Symphony Hall. A second major theme of the film is public servants helping people in need: the eviction prevention task force, another task force on economic advancement for Latina women, and an economic development adviser working with an ethnically focused grocery store. On numerous instances the Mayor and public servants complain about the policies of the Trump Administration. In an interview done for the
Toronto International Film Festival, Wiseman says, "I didn't set out to make an anti-Trump film... it becomes an anti-Trump film because the professionals, the mayor, and the people who work for city hall in Boston are people who care and believe in the democratic process and the democratic norms, and their work is an illustration of that. So that the film becomes—because of Trump's horrible behavior—it represents everything that he doesn't stand for." ==Release==