The Public (film)


The Public is a 2018 American drama film directed and written by Emilio Estevez, who also stars in the film alongside an ensemble cast including Alec Baldwin, Jena Malone, Christian Slater, Gabrielle Union, Taylor Schilling, Jacob Vargas, Michael Kenneth Williams, and Jeffrey Wright. The film had its world premiere on September 9, 2018, at the Toronto International Film Festival. It was theatrically released in the United States on April 5, 2019, by Greenwich Entertainment.

Plot

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 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 and a savvy district attorney with lofty political ambitions, all as two librarians are caught in the middle.

Cast

In December 2016, it was announced that Alec Baldwin, Jena Malone, Taylor Schilling and Rhymefest would be joining Emilio Estevez in the film. A few days later, it was announced that Gabrielle Union had been cast in the film. In January 2017, it was announced that Christian Slater, Jeffrey Wright and Michael Kenneth Williams had also joined the cast of the film.
Filming began in January 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Composers Tyler Bates and Joanne Higginbottom wrote the score for the film.

Release

The Public held its first screening as the opening night selection at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on January 31, 2018. 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.
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. The film was released in the United States on April 5, 2019.

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 65% approval rating from critics, based on 91 reviews, with an average score of 6.28/10. 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." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 46 out of 100, based on 18 critics.