Film: The Trial of the Chicago 7

GENRE: Drama
RATING: R for language and violence
RUNTIME: 2 hours and 9 minutes
PLATFORM: Netflix
STARRING: Eddie Redmayne (Les Miserables, Fantastic Beasts)
Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat), Jeremy Strong (Succession)
DIRECTOR: Aaron Sorkin (Molly’s Game)
WRITER: Sorkin (Social Network, West Wing, A Few Good Men)
PLOT: The story of those who stood trial for a politically charged riot during the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I am a gigantic fan of all things Aaron Sorkin. This is also my second time watching this film.

STORY STUFF: It is hard to believe that this court case went down like this. Of course, there are a lot of liberties taken for dramatic effect but even so. It’s stories like this that sicken me when I see blatant injustice and prejudice. In short, the story triggers lots of emotion. Not too surprised when it’s coming from Sorkin. His sharp dialogue, powerful speeches, and wonderfully paced plotting of the story pulls me in every time. Sorkin is a fantastic storyteller.      

ACTING STUFF: Such a great cast. Redmayne lays it on a little thick as Tom Hayden which makes it harder to root for him but I still am captivated by his performance. Cohen and Strong are simply wonderful as Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin. Mark Rylance (Dunkirk) is amazing at keeping his clients under control while Yaha Abdul-Mateen II (Watchmen) commands the screen as the ‘roped-in’ Bobby Seale. The most frustrating actor to watch is Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon) as the most unjust judge I have ever experienced. He does so well at making me loathe his each and every word.     

ARTISTIC STUFF: I love the editing of this film. I like the way it jumps from courtrooms to communal housing to footage to filmed moments of the riots. It reminds of the slick Social Network double depositions at times. The music has its typical Sorkin-esque inspired swells. I was bothered with Rylance’s hair; not sure if it was historical or a personal choice.   

VERDICT: Four and half stars out of five
SEE IT IF: You like Sorkin’s writing and are willing to get angry.  
UPCOMING REVIEW: Oscar Predictions (My 800^th Blog Post!)