SummaryWhat was intended to be a peaceful protest at the 1968 Democratic National Convention turned into a violent clash with police and the National Guard. The organizers of the protest—including Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden and Bobby Seale—were charged with conspiracy to incite a riot and the trial that followed was one of the most ...
SummaryWhat was intended to be a peaceful protest at the 1968 Democratic National Convention turned into a violent clash with police and the National Guard. The organizers of the protest—including Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden and Bobby Seale—were charged with conspiracy to incite a riot and the trial that followed was one of the most ...
This movie did exactly what a movie is meant to do, it entertained me while getting me to reassess my understanding of the world. I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it as much if it wasn't based on true events, because it would have seemed so outrageous that it wasn't believable. It is true that this is a 2 hour courtroom drama, but I was so invested in it because the characters are just so much fun to watch. I'm sure there was some foul language that I didn't notice, but otherwise, this should have been rated pg-13, so I wouldn't be too worried about watching it with teenagers. I give it an A - Make a point to go see this movie
Given The Trial of the Chicago 7’s snapshot of an era of an almost hopelessly divided America, and Kafka-esque and monstrous misuse of power by a bullying President, the timing for its release couldn’t be better.
Sorkin’s writing may be better served by a director who can bring a new set of perspectives and dynamics to the work, rather than simply presenting them head-on. Yet it works anyway. The actors win on appeal. And it’s always worth revisiting this particular chapter of Chicago unrest and injustice, because that chapter, tragically, is always up for another rewrite.
Despite Sorkin’s significant shortcomings as a director, The Trial of the Chicago 7 hums along mightily on the strength of its god-tier ensemble and whip-smart script. There’s hardly a false note in the cast, all of them capably handling Sorkin’s overlapping, erudite dialogue with aplomb, and many of the big moments land with a splash.
He [Sorkin] can also become fantastically ponderous, bloated with finger-waggingly self-important liberal patriotism. Sadly, that is the tone with this exasperatingly dull, dramatically inert and faintly misjudged re-creation of the “Chicago Seven” trial in the US, which Sorkin has written and directed.
It is important for a film to say what it wants to say correctly and to somehow overcome its claim. "The Trial of the Chicago 7" is one of these films. A coherent narrative with a perfectly acceptable script and no extra glamor. Adapting in cinema has always been a difficult task, whether from another literary work or a real event. The film also manages to make this historical adaptation and not only shows the details well, which gives it a new spirit with the art of cinema, so that it has the necessary impact on the audience. An important point is that the film is successful in creating a feeling and does not seek to hide its weaknesses by crowding the film by using unnecessary Techniques or tricks. Throughout the film, we see a variety of emotional atmospheres that are sometimes very lively and sometimes very calm and quiet. The director, however, has been able to create emotion both in crowded spaces and in the silences, that sometimes take the audience to a deeper layer of the movie. The actors in the film are all acceptable, However, some of them do not become characters in the script, and in the meantime, “Langella” acting as the judge and “Sacha Baron Cohen” as Abbie was better than others. “Sorkin” has once again shown that he has an acceptable ability in screenwriting, and this time he has performed well in directing too. “The Trial of the Chicago 7” is a compact movie that works to the best of its ability And it tries to get closer to the form, though it cannot be said that it has done it completely, but in some places it gets close to the form. It should be noted that the film is very successful in its purpose and the use of old images and videos helps to convey this purpose to the viewer. What this film has done, that is, create a sense of criticism and sometimes hatred for a corrupt system, is something that not every film can easily do. In general, “The Trial of the Chicago 7” is a good movie that will be alive for a long time and anyone of any age and period can communicate with it.
It's a good retelling of an important story about how America's war in Vietnam turned the country against itself. And it's a potent reminder of the rampant thuggery among U.S. police forces, which have been abusing citizens for a long time before 2020. But this film falls into the common courtroom film trap of obsessing over legal maneuvering and mostly forgetting the real goals of the protagonists. While the protagonists talk a lot about the war and the soldiers sent to fight and die there, the film doesn't actually show any of that war's violence. There isn't a single line of dialogue from a draftee or a vet as far as I can recall. It's one thing to read a list of names of the fallen, but it's quite another to see a 19-year-old bleeding out in a ditch on the far side of the world in the service of a war waged for domestic politics.
This makes me physically ill to see the legacy of Abbie Hoffman tarnished with Sorkin's ignorant and conservative view of history and social justice. Please do not give this views. This is like if David Duke made a film about MLK. Its disgusting to see a legit leftist be reduced to nothing by the classic liberal (centrist, status quo supporting) Aaron Sorkin who doesn't understand the struggles of the lower/working class. Liberal hacks like Sorkin believe speeches and incrementalism work to better society, and that's exactly what has led to our society on the brink of fascism. Real change needs real action which is what Abbie Hoffman did and supported.
whitey bad, ooh there's a shocker, another 1 sided movie telling a complex story, instead of the nuanced look at a turbulent time and let audience figure things out, this movie tells a decidedly one sided version.