Sacha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Eddie Redmayne head an impressive cast in prolific screenwriter-tuned-director Aaron Sorkin’s compelling new drama The Trial of The Chicago 7. The film, Sorkin’s second ever outing as director after Molly’s Game in 2017, recounts the story of a group of anti-Vietnam War protesters charged with conspiracy and inciting riots at a Chicago rally.
In the summer of 1968, a group of activists, conscientious objectors and assorted hippies converged on Chicago on the eve of the Democratic National Convention to protest the war in Vietnam. Following police brutality against them, riots erupted and arrests were made which later resulted in a headline-grabbing court case against the organisers.
Amongst those protesters were legendary Jewish anti-war activist Abbie Hoffman (Baron Cohen), political activist Tom Hayden (Redmayne) and Black Panthers leader Bobby Seale (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II). Joseph Gordon-Levitt is Richard Schultz, the young and ambitious prosecutor ordered by the US Attorney General John Mitchell (a brief yet memorable turn courtesy of John Doman) to open a federal case against the protestors, while Mark Rylance is electrifying as Bill Kunstler, the group’s brilliant and long-suffering lawyer.
Part court-room drama, part historical biopic, The Trial Of The Chicago 7 has been languishing in development hell since 2007. Sorkin originally wrote the screenplay and intended for Steven Spielberg to direct the film, but the production had to be shelved after Spielberg dropped out amidst the 2007 Writers Guild of America strike.
Like with any other Sorkin production, much of the film’s appeal lies in its brilliantly snappy dialogue. The fast-paced exchanges are as satisfying as we’ve come to expect from the award-winning writer of The West Wing and A Few Good Men. Having said that, those who remain unconvinced by Sorkin’s particular brand of smart and witty repartee won’t find anything here that is likely to change their minds.
There’s no denying that the film’s disjointed format of jumping back and forth between the build up to the rally and the trial, can feel a little jarring in parts, but if one is prepared to discount that aspect, there is still a lot to enjoy here.
Baron Cohen’s American accent may be a little hit and miss in parts, but his charismatic and flamboyant turn as the legendary Abbie makes up for his shortcomings in the accent stakes. Elsewhere, Redmayne delivers a brilliant performance as Hayden whom he offers as pragmatic and coolheaded, while Gordon-Levitt is hugely likeable as Schultz.
This brilliantly acted, well researched and undeniably engaging biopic is as timely as it is needed in the current global political climate. Sorkin may be the king of the court-room drama when it comes to snappy dialogue, but it falls on the film’s impressive cast to elevate this story above the usual biopic fodder.
