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The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)

3.4 of 5 from 35 ratings
2h 9min
Not released
  • General info
  • Available formats
Synopsis:
After Abbie Hoffman (Sacha Baron Cohen), Jerry Rubin (Jeremy Strong), David Dellinger (John Carroll Lynch), Tom Hayden (Eddie Redmayne), Rennie Davis (Alex Sharp), John Froines (Danny Flaherty), and Lee Weiner (Noah Robbins) were arrested for participating in anti-Vietnam War and countercultural protests that took place in Chicago during the 1968 Democratic National Convention, they mocked courtroom procedures. Nothing was too lofty for them to ridicule, including the judge, and even the dress code, one day appearing in judicial robes and after being reprimanded, taking them off to reveal police uniforms underneath.
Actors:
, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Michael A. Dean
Directors:
Producers:
Stuart M. Besser, Matt Jackson, Marc Platt, Tyler Thompson
Writers:
Aaron Sorkin
Genres:
Drama, Thrillers
Collections:
A Brief History of Films About Television: Part 1, Oscar Nominations Competition 2024
BBFC:
Release Date:
Not released
Run Time:
129 minutes
Languages:
English
Subtitles:
None
DVD Regions:
Region 2
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen 2.39:1
Colour:
Colour

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Reviews (1) of The Trial of the Chicago 7

Excellent - The Trial of the Chicago 7 review by GI

Spoiler Alert
11/04/2021

This courtroom drama is both intentionally timely and quite electrifying mainly due to the outstanding cast and performances. It recreates events from 1968 when various anti Vietnam War groups congregated in Chicago to demonstrate at the Democratic Party Convention. They were met by an aggressive police response and eight (this is whittled down to seven in the course of the story) leaders of the various groups were selected by the new Nixon administration for a show trial accused of conspiring to start a riot. The courtroom scenes are really good with Mark Rylance as the increasingly frustrated defence attorney, his frustration caused by the obvious bias of the trial judge played with vigour by Frank Langella. Some of the flashback scenes to the events are occasionally a little clunky when they are intermixed with future scenes of Abbie Hoffman (Sacha Baron Cohen in a rare but excellent dramatic role), one of the defendants, giving a talk to students. But overall this is a sharply told drama highlighting America's prickly relationship with social dissent despite their pretentions of democracy and freedom. The most disturbing scenes are of those involving Bobby Seale (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), the Black Panther leader, who is one of the defendants even though he wasn't even in Chicago at the time. Cast includes Eddie Redmayne, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Michael Keaton. An absorbing film, interesting, well told and one that plots a path between past events and current ones. Recommended.

1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.

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