The Trial of the Chicago 7
Synopsis: The film is based on the infamous 1969 trial of seven defendants charged by the federal government with conspiracy and more, arising from the countercultural protests in Chicago at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. The trial transfixed the nation and sparked a conversation about mayhem intended to undermine the U.S. government.
Movie Review:
““The Trial of the Chicago 7” was written and directed by Aaron Sorkin and is a court room drama about the famous 1969 trial of counter-cultural protests in Chicago. From the phenomenal script to great acting, this important story told today is one of my favorite films of the year so far. What makes this movie relevant is that race issues are still a problem today and Aaron Sorkin retells it in a subtle and smart way. The entire film takes place in a court room, but every scene is riveting, especially from the acting. Frank Langella plays the tough, despicable judge who didn’t give the seven men a fail trial. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays lawyer Richard Schultz who was part of the government trying to put these seven men in prison for 10 years and he’s not a bad guy, he’s just doing his job. I thought this role is his best performance in years. Yahya Abul Mateen II plays Bobby Seale who was the leader of the Black Panthers during that time and he gives an outstanding performance. But I think the two actors who steal the show were Sacha Baron Cohen as Abbie Hoffman and Eddie Redmayne. The audience is entranced as they watch every scene these two are in with their non-stop arguing and disagreements. It proves that Sacha Baron Cohen can do more than just comedy. The two lawyers defending the seven men are Oscar winning actor Mark Rylance and Jeremy Strong and they are fantastic as well. Michael Keaton plays Ramsey Clark who is testifying against the seven. Keaton doesn’t disappoint; he is funny, charismatic and all around likeable, but he has a limited role and is only in two scenes. The supporting cast was great with John Carroll Lynch, Alex Sharp, Noah Robins and Kelvin Harrison, Jr. They all added something to the story, and each had great chemistry with the main cast. What Aaron Sorkin does brilliantly in this film is that while the whole movie does take place in the court room, it does flash back to the events in Chicago. This more complex process could have been confusing to the viewer, but with Sorkin’s experience he was able to pull it off. The only small issue that I had was the ending -- it felt safe and too Cliché. “The Trial of the Chicago 7” is a riveting court room drama dealing with relevant subject matter, and mesmerizing acting by its all-star cast. I am giving “The Trial of the Chicago 7” a 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Director: Aaron Sorkin
Cast: Yahya Abdul Mateen II, Sacha Baron Cohen, Danny Flaherty, Joseph Gordon- Levitt, Michael Keaton, Frank Langella, John Carroll Lynch, Eddie Redmayne, Noah Robbins, Mark Rylance, Alex Sharp and Jeremy Strong
Runtime:129 minutes