The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)

The story of 7 people on trial stemming from various charges surrounding the uprising at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.

Director:

Aaron Sorkin

Writer:

Aaron Sorkin

Stars:

Eddie Redmayne, Alex Sharp, Sacha Baron Cohen

Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 55 wins & 179 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Eddie Redmayne	...	Tom Hayden
Alex Sharp	...	Rennie Davis
Sacha Baron Cohen	...	Abbie Hoffman
Jeremy Strong	...	Jerry Rubin
John Carroll Lynch	...	David Dellinger
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II	...	Bobby Seale
Mark Rylance	...	William Kunstler
Joseph Gordon-Levitt	...	Richard Schultz
Ben Shenkman	...	Leonard Weinglass
J.C. MacKenzie	...	Thomas Foran
Frank Langella	...	Judge Julius Hoffman
Danny Flaherty	...	John Froines
Noah Robbins	...	Lee Weiner
John Doman	...	John Mitchell
Michael Keaton	...	Ramsey Clark

Storyline

In Chicago 1968, the Democratic Party Convention was met with protests from activists like the moderate Students for a Democratic Society led by Tom Hayden and the militant Yippies led by Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin, which led to violent confrontations with the local authorities. As a result, seven of the accused ringleaders are arraigned on charges like Conspiracy by the hostile Nixon administration, including Bobby Seale of the Black Panthers who was not involved in the incident. What follows is an unfair trial presided by the belligerent Judge Hoffman (No relation) and prosecuted by a reluctant but duty-bound Richard Schultz. As their pro bono lawyers face such odds, Hayden and his fellows are frustrated by the Yippies' outrageous antics undermining their defense in defiance of the system even while Seale is denied a chance to defend himself his way. Along the way, the Chicago 7 clash in their political philosophies even as they learn they need each other in this fight.

---

Plot Keywords:

riot | protest march | political protest | protesting vietnam war | 1960s | 

---

Taglines:

In 1968, democracy refused to back down.

---

Genres:

Drama | History | Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language throughout, some violence, bloody images and drug use

Did You Know?

Trivia

In regards to the film's timely subject matter in 2020, Aaron Sorkin described the film as being more about modern day than the 1960's. He explained that, "The script didn't change to mirror the times. The times changed to mirror the script."

---

Goofs

One of the characters says the reason that he was not drafted was that he had a high lottery number. That is impossible as the lottery started after the trial began.

Also, the draft lottery which was shown in the picture had nothing to protests in Chicago because the lottery was a year later.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Lyndon B. Johnson: I have today ordered to Vietnam the Airmobile Division, and certain other forces which will raise our fighting strength from seventy-five thousand to one hundred twenty-five thousand men almost immediately. This will make it necessary to increase our active fighting forces by raising the monthly draft call from seventeen thousand to thirty-five thousand.

---

Connections

Featured in The 93rd Oscars (2021)

---

Soundtracks

Hear My Voice
Music by Daniel Pemberton
Lyrics by Daniel Pemberton and Celeste (as Celeste Waite)
Performed by Celeste
Produced by Daniel Pemberton
Celeste appears courtesy of Polydor / Atlas Artists

User Reviews

The Trial of the Chicago 7 is a 7/10 but with great dialogue and excellent performances.

Aaron Sorkin's "The Trial of the Chicago 7" takes to a story from the 1960's and brings us a sure bet for Best Ensemble during Award Season. Tom Hayden played by Academy Award Winner Eddie Redmayne brings a droll but nuanced performance to this well scripted movie. Based on the real life story, the script brings the feeling of the era to this move. However, the final product feels less like a 60's film of the era and more like a polished dialogue heavy play. This is not to say the film doesn't have its brilliant components. Because it does. The directing is strong and the performances are captivating. This is a surefire bet for a Best Screenplay nomination at the Oscars. Overall, it feels very relevant today and it hits its a nerve throughout. Sorkin delivers again and Frank Langella shines as Julius Hoffman, the judge grow to hate from the first time we meet him. His performance brings a strong response from the audience to fully engage into this story. I can't wait to see this as a play.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA UK India

Language:

English Latin French

Release Date:

16 October 2020 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Trial of the Chicago 7

Filming Locations:

Patterson, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dreamworks Pictures, Amblin Partners, Aperture Media Partners

Technical Specs

Runtime:

129 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color Black and White (archive footage)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1