Review: The Trial Of The Chicago 7

Image courtesy of Netflix.

Aaron Sorkin's Netflix-produced "The Trial of the Chicago 7" is, of course, based on the actual courtroom proceeding in which eight individuals - activists Abbie Hoffman, Tom Hayden, Jerry Rubin, Lee Weiner, John Froines, David Dellinger, Rennie Davis and Black Panther Party leader Bobby Seale - were charged with crossing state lines to incite a riot following their involvement in protests at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago. The trial was marked by antics - Hoffman's outbursts - as well as a hostile and antagonistic judge, Julius Hoffman (Frank Langella), and the actual gagging of one of the defendants (Seale).

But while some of the courtroom proceedings here are interesting - and some other moments therein drag on a bit - the film's bright spots are its eerie comparisons of the struggles of yesteryear with those of today - for example, a scene in which riot police in Chicago remove the badges bearing their names, similar to scenes across the United States this past summer during Black Lives Matter protests; the concept of an out-of-control Department of Justice targeting political enemies; or the dangers presented by incompetent men (in this case, Langella's judge) in power.

But mostly, the film bounces the various personalities of its characters off one another - Seale (Yahya Abdul Mateen II) is righteously indignant, Hoffman (played by Sacha Baron Cohen) clownish but smarter than expected when given the chance and Hayden (Eddie Redmayne) is conflicted due to his wanting to stand up to the system, but understanding the optics of being disrespectful in a courtroom and challenging police officers. John Carroll Lynch portrays Dellinger, a pacifist who aims to keep his ideals intact at a volatile moment, and Mark Rylance is particularly good as William Kunstler, the group's lawyer.

While the scenes set in the immediate present (1969) - in which the group consults with Kunstler or argues over tactics - play fairly smoothly, some of the flashbacks are less successful and feel too meticulously staged. There's also an ongoing introduction of past moments - in the summer of 1968 - by Hoffman as he performs some sort of standup routine that becomes a not-so-effective storytelling device.

Regardless of its flaws, the cast and the inherent interest in this particular case and moment in American history keep the proceedings lively and compelling. As a writer, Sorkin is often among the best in his field - especially his terrific script for "The Social Network." As a director, this is his second attempt - the first was the solid "Molly's Game" - and it's a film that works more often than it doesn't. 

I appreciated the way the parallels to today are thoughtfully explored in the film - the often repeated phrase "the whole world is watching" has never felt more relevant - and found some moments to be rousing even when the movie occasionally feels overlong and a little indulgent. All in all, it's pretty decent.