JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Filmmakers on Wednesday returned to Jacksonville from Hollywood to display the fruits of their labor during the debut of an HBO movie that retells an historic moment in Florida's political past.

Much of "Recount," starring Kevin Spacey and Dennis Leary, was filmed in the River City last year.

The HBO film retells the story of the controversial 2000 recount in Florida for the presidency.

A few hundred people packed into the Florida Theater to watch the debut, which filmmakers said is not meant to be political but is designed to tell the country what Florida went through during the election chaos.

"It's not about Republicans or Democrats. The film is ultimately about the process of how we elect our president, and the process of a recount in a very tight election," said film writer Danny Strong.

Filmmakers were very complimentary of the state's election workers, saying Florida Sunshine Laws allowed them much more access then they would get in most any other state.

"My hat is off to a state where an event like 2000 occurred … to say, 'Yeah. Come in and let us relive that anxiety,'" said director and executive producer Jay Roach.

Some who saw the film said it is very good representation of the 2000 recount, but other said its view are slanted.

"I think Jacksonville made us look good. It brought a lot of people here -- a lot of revenue here. The city's going to have a lot more movies to come," said Sharron Weisen.

"I do believe it was a little slanted, but it was a good movie," said movie-goer Bill Craig. "It did not put Florida in a very good light, and that's too bad because I think we area a good state and we deserve better."

The film's world television is expected to air Sunday, May 25 at 9 p.m. on HBO.