Run time: 2h 9m
Intro- I took a journey back home to see the family and so whilst taking the train I decided to watch a film recommended to me by a friend from work. It’s name being “The Trial of the Chicago 7”. Having no idea about the premise of the film I was sceptical to how I’d find it.
Plot- The film is based on a true story and the plot revolves around the trial of 8 anti-Vietnam war protestors. Each of the protesters are different in their own way, whether that be their background or personality but they meet together for a common goal, giving the film a sense of unity and morality.
The fact that the film was based off a true story added to the plot and made it thoroughly engrossing. Being able to delve into each individual characters struggles through the court trial made the story more complex in the best possible way. Therefore I would rate the plot a 9/10
Acting- The cast of this film is filled with A-list actors with the likes of Eddie Redmayne, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Mark Rylance playing key roles. We see Sacha Baron Cohen in a more serious film than his previous works. Although he still plays a goofy character, his comical nature is more subtle which acts as a breath of fresh air. I hope to see him take on more serious roles in the future to unlock his full acting potential.
I was particularly impressed by Mark Rylance as William Kunstler, the lawyer of the Chicago 7, who gave a passionate performance as well as Sacha Baron Cohen who played protester Abbie Hoffman. Solid acting from an impressive cast warrants an 8/10 rating.
Characters- Characters play a key role in the film. Each of the 8 figures have different approaches to the way they protest and are treated differently by the government because of this. As the story progresses director and screenplay writer Aaron Sorkin creates hero and villain dynamics between the protestors and the judicial officers, making for intense and passionate interactions in the court room that will have you gritting your teeth. Judge Hoffman is particularly displayed as an Antagonist making you as the viewer hate him at certain points in the film.
I would rate the film’s character’s an 8.5/10. With a spectrum of personas such as Abbie Hoffman, Judge Hoffman and Tom Hayden playing major parts in the movie, it allows for different perspectives on the famous trial. Days after watching the film I found myself thinking about the case and making my own observations of the events that took place between 1969-1970.
Dialogue- At times the dialogue was legally technical, which I found slightly tricky to keep up with. Of course it is expected for a film about a court trial to have a lot of legislative language in it but I had to pay a lot of attention to every conversation as otherwise I thought I may get lost in the story.
Although the language is vital to stay true to the story, it made for an active watch. Therefore the rating I will give for the dialogue will be a 7/10.
Music- Daniel Pemberton combines with Celeste to make an emotional rollercoaster of an album. A lot of the music acts as a catalyst to the already intense events that transpire in the film. I was most impressed by the opening and closing songs of the film which contrast so heavily in tone. It shows what a journey the movie is and each characters growth.
The soundtrack plays an important role in showing the progression of the characters and the plot therefore, I would give the music a rating of 8/10.
Final verdict- After watching this courtroom drama I found myself intrigued by the history of the trial and so I looked into the event in more detail. I feel that the best movies have you thinking about them even days after watching them and so with that logic I would recommend watching this film. If you are not interested in the politics of the event then perhaps it isn’t the film for you but I had little to no knowledge of the film before viewing and I still found myself watching attentively right till it’s dramatic and powerful ending.
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