Flash! Corrupt 'Soprano State' is Jersey

Anyone not yet sick of lopsided, agenda-driven political advertising this season might want to drop in on "The Soprano State," which was not, apparently, produced by the Republican National Committee, but might have been.

Starring New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie as the Garden State's paragon of virtue - and hosted by pointlessly foul-mouthed actor Tony Darrow, as a combination Rod Serling/ The Situation - the film provides a historical litany of Jersey political scandals; smears Christie's predecessor, Jon Corzine; makes smarmy innuendo about ex-Gov. Jim McGreevey's sexuality, and, in general, does as little for the state's image as the politicians it indicts.

Based on the book of the same name by Sandy McClure and Bob Ingle - respected reporters who appear in the film, and shouldn't have - "The Soprano State: New Jersey's Culture of Corruption, Part One" makes a point, makes it again and then beats it to death. It used to be, someone says, that Illinois, Louisiana, Rhode Island and New Jersey were in competition for most corrupt in the nation. But New Jersey long ago took the lead - dragged, the documentary makes clear, by one Democrat after another. Granted, the Democrats are largely guilty. At the same time, there is no mention of the no-bid-contract and deferred-prosecution scandals that surrounded Christie's election bid in 2009. But there's plenty of Christie.

The most offensive thing about "The Soprano State" might still be Darrow, who sits on a bar stool before a red velvet curtain, smoking a cigar and pontificating about the state of the state. "How do dey get away widdit?" he asks. Viewers will share his incredulity.