In Chicago 1968, protests outside the Democratic Party Convention turned into violent confrontations with the police. Those arrested included Tom Hayden (Eddie Redmayne) of the Moderate Students for a Democratic Society and militant yippies led by Abbie Hoffman (Sacha Baron Cohan) and Jerry Rubin (Jerry Strong). The seven ringleaders were charged with conspiracy by Nixon’s hostile administration. An absorbing and occasionally laugh out loud, expose of the America of the period. This one is well and truly in the hidden gem category. It had certainly passed me by.
A film that is essentially a courtroom drama, needs to be well scripted and paced in order to hold audience attention. One might think of Hitchcock’s Witness for the Prosecution (1957), The Verdict (1982) with the brilliant Paul Newman, Primal Fear (1996) or, perhaps the best of them all, To Kill A Mockingbird (1962). As with all these, The Trial of the Chicago 7 not only has the script and pacing but also an ensemble of characters who engage us. Hayden, Hoffman and Rubin are well played and Cohen again proves that he is a very good dramatic actor, not just a shock comedic one. At the centre of the case is “What ignited the protesters charge at the police?”. The answer, not what you’re expecting. This film opens the lid on an America that was not the land of the free at all, quite the opposite. A really good watch.
This is the sort of film which warrants much googling afterwards. What did happen to the main protagonists is fascinating. Some lived a life true to the ideals of their youth whilst others seemed to do an about turn and align with the capitalist society they were kicking against in 1968. One even married the film actress Jane Fonda; no, seriously.
Certificate: 15
2 hours 9 min
Prime / Netflix
Director: Aaron Sorkin
Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Alex Sharpe, Sacha Baron Cohen
