The Public (film)

After learning that emergency shelters are at full capacity when a brutal Midwestern cold front makes its way to Cincinnati, a large group of homeless library patrons led by Jackson (Michael Kenneth Williams) refuse to leave the downtown public library at closing time. What begins as a nonviolent Occupy-style sit-in and ragtag act of civil disobedience quickly escalates into a standoff with local riot police, led by a no-nonsense crisis negotiator (Alec Baldwin) and a savvy district attorney (Christian Slater) with lofty political ambitions, all as two librarians (Emilio Estevez and Jena Malone) are caught in the middle.

• Emilio Estevez as Stuart Goodson, a librarian at the Cincinnati Public Library
• Alec Baldwin as Detective Bill Ramstead, a crisis negotiator for the Cincinnati Police Department
• Christian Slater as Josh Davis, the local district attorney for the City of Cincinnati
• Jena Malone as Myra, a librarian at the Cincinnati Public Library
• Taylor Schilling as Angela, Stuart's neighbor and love interest
• Michael K. Williams as Jackson, the homeless man who leads the Occupy sit-in at the library
• Jeffrey Wright as Mr. Anderson, the head librarian of the Cincinnati Public Library
• Gabrielle Union as Rebecca Parks, a local reporter
• Jacob Vargas as Ernesto, head of security for the library
• Richard T. Jones as Chief Edwards
• Bryant Bentley as Cactus Ray, the homeless man who helps Jackson in the sit-in at the library
• Ki Hong Lee as Chip
• Michael Douglas Hall as Smutts, homeless friend of Jackson's that sparks the idea of the sit-in
• Che "Rhymefest" Smith as Big George

In December 2016, it was announced that Alec Baldwin, Jena Malone, Taylor Schilling and Rhymefest would be joining Emilio Estevez in the film.[4] A few days later, it was announced that Gabrielle Union had been cast in the film.[5] In January 2017, it was announced that Christian Slater, Jeffrey Wright and Michael Kenneth Williams had also joined the cast of the film.[6]

Filming began in January 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio.[7] Composers Tyler Bates and Joanne Higginbottom wrote the score for the film.[8]

The Public held its first screening as the opening night selection at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on January 31, 2018.[9] It was screened multiple times at the June 2018 meeting of the American Library Association, followed by a Q&A with Emilio Estevez. Its official world premiere was later held on September 9, 2018, at the Toronto International Film Festival.[10]

In January 2019, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Content Group acquired US distribution rights to The Public, with Greenwich Entertainment being assigned by Universal for the film's theatrical release.[11] The film was released in the United States on April 5, 2019.[12]

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 66% approval rating from critics, based on 96 reviews, with an average score of 6.30/10. The website's consensus reads, "Its intentions are sometimes easier to appreciate than its execution, but The Public remains an earnest and reasonably engaging social advocacy drama."[13] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 46 out of 100, based on 18 critics.[14]

• List of black films of the 2010s

• Official website
• The Public at IMDb
• The Public at Rotten Tomatoes
• The Public at Metacritic