See How They Run

This chronicle of the 1999 San Francisco mayoral campaign is entertaining enough, but political junkies will find more insight into how campaigns are waged, won, and lost in the acclaimed 1993 documentary The War Room, and more backroom drama in any episode of The West Wing. While hardly reaching the Barnum & Bailey-level extravaganza of the recent California gubernatorial race, the 1999 campaign did feature colorful candidates and only-in-San Francisco incidents that enlivened the proceedings considerably. At just under an hour, this film can only sketch a portrait of the city, and gives short shrift to the initial phase of the campaign, in which incumbent candidate Willie Brown, a civil rights pioneer and ultimate insider, faced 12 challengers, including his former campaign manager and the city's former mayor. The race is upended by the surprise entry of a write-in candidate, Tom Ammiano, city supervisor and gay standup comedian, who vows to run "the mother of all grassroots campaigns." Unfortunately, the filmmakers were only allowed limited access: we see portions of boisterous candidate debates, but no scenes, for instance, in which the candidates prepare. Still, not even Aaron Sorkin could have dreamed up one initial challenger's ill-advised decision to shower naked with two radio shock jocks. DVD extras include additional interviews, deleted scenes, and cast and crew bios. A strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (D. Liebenson)