The Trial of the Chicago 7 is a courtroom drama about the 7 people who were accused of inciting riots back in 1968 in Chicago.
Staged in the backdrop of social unrest caused by the Vietnam war, the film shows how this diverse group of activists face trial for their role in bringing about confrontations between protesters in police around the Democratic National Convention.
We get to watch the escalation of the protests that ultimately turned into a riot via a series of flashbacks, making the movie into a powerful drama that doesn’t end in the courtroom — although Sorkin is a master at writing for that setting.
Here’s why I think you should watch this gripping true story:
#1: The Cast is off the charts
This is one of the strongest ensembles I’ve seen in recent films.
From Succession’s Jeremy Strong role as co-Yuppie leader Jerry Rubin to the more palatable activist Tom Hayden played by Eddie Redmayne, all the way to the brilliantly ironic Abbie Hoffman character of Sacha Baron Cohen or Frank Langella’s delusional judge, it’s very hard to single out a performance.
That’s part of the beauty of the film.
