This is not a documentary; it’s a dramatization of events that resonates with great power while containing essential truths, and it’s one of the best movies of the year. Aaron Sorkin’s The Trial of the Chicago 7 is the rare drama about the 1960s that’s powerful and authentic and moving enough to feel as if it were taking place today. The Trial of the Chicago 7 is something unexpected, fun. Although The Trial of the Chicago 7 has a serious message, it finds room for moments of (dark) comedy and (gallows) humor. See all external reviews for The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020). This is too neat, tidy, and digestible of a take on such a wrenching topic—especially when we know the forces of injustice at work here were only temporarily stymied by this trial, and hardly defeated. From a movie-making perspective, The Trial of the Chicago 7 is sturdy but not particularly revelatory. Best of all, he brings out the best each actor in this enormous ensemble cast has to offer; every character is rendered with jewelers-loupe clarity. Sorkin doesn’t face these evils for more than a moment at a time. Is it sentimental? Critics Choice Awards 2021: 'Mank', 'Da 5 Bloods', 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' and 'The Trial of the Chicago 7' lead nominations; Peter Dinklage to lend voice for 'This was Our Pact' Thank you for listening! Sadly, that is the tone with this exasperatingly dull, dramatically inert and faintly misjudged re-creation of the “Chicago Seven” trial in the US, which Sorkin has written and directed. Whatever the case, it makes the film something else, too: timely. User Ratings Share. 35. Expect Oscar to sprinkle gold dust on writer-director Aaron Sorkin and a gangbusters cast for making this recreation of a notorious 1969 trial burn with a timely relevance that singes the screen. Yet it also diminishes its aura of authenticity with dubious inventions, and muddles its impact by taking on more history than it can handle. The Trial of the Chicago 7 is exactly as advertised — a giant, giddy burst of earnest theatricality, loaded with a formidable ensemble that chews on every inch of the scenery, that overall makes a passionate case for the resilience of its formula more than using it as an excuse. The starry cast of Aaron Sorkin’s 1960s courtroom drama “The Trial of the Chicago 7” took the top prize at a virtual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday. Read critic reviews FAQ Writer-director Aaron Sorkin's star-studded chronicle of The Trial of the Chicago 7 is timely and terrific. The Art of Starting Over. Despite Sorkin’s significant shortcomings as a director, The Trial of the Chicago 7 hums along mightily on the strength of its god-tier ensemble and whip-smart script. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 89% based on 311 reviews, with an average rating of 7.8/10. Certain events are rearranged from the factual timelines, and yes, The Trial of the Chicago 7 exercises poetic license. From a movie-making perspective, The Trial of the Chicago 7 is sturdy but not particularly revelatory. The Trial of the Chicago 7 makes for an entertaining and compelling courtroom drama, bolstered by Sorkin's script and strong performances. I knew they were a group of protestors who were arrested for supposedly inciting a … Partly this is an accident of timing. The Phoenix Film Critics Society (PFCS) have announced their winners for the best in film for 2020, with several of this Sunday’s Golden Globe winners finding more reason to celebrate. Yet it works anyway. They can handle the truth. Sacha Baron Cohen. Democracy is a messy business, but an element of real, lived-in messiness seems beyond this movie’s purview. This is not a documentary; it’s a dramatization of events that resonates with great power while containing essential truths, and it’s one of the best movies of the year. The Trial of the Chicago 7 is something unexpected, fun. Denver Critics Fall For ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ by Mitchell Beaupre January 18, 2021, 2:44 pm The Trial of the Chicago 7 is the big winner today from the Denver Film Critics Society, hoping that the win could give them a little boost to start making a move to overtake current frontrunners like Chloé Zhao ’s Nomadland . Best Original Screenplay. Last modified on Mon 12 Oct 2020 14.13 EDT. Aaron Sorkin (written by) Best Achievement in Film Editing. Maybe real life has made it so that nothing seems over the top anymore. And it’s … The Denver Film Critics Society have given Aaron Sorkin’s The Trial of the Chicago 7 their Best Picture prize, Sacha Baron Cohen Best Supporting Actor and Sorkin himself Original Screenplay.. Chloé Zhao (Nomadland) continued to her Best Director dominance and Chadwick Boseman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) and Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman) racked up more lead wins. This courtroom drama has its florid excesses, but a fine cast (combined with Sorkin’s indefatigable enthusiasm for electric, shamelessly proselytising entertainment) sell the commentary at this still-relevant story’s centre. But as a delivery system for great performers rattling off great dialogue, it’s almost unbeatable. He [Sorkin] can also become fantastically ponderous, bloated with finger-waggingly self-important liberal patriotism. As in any Sorkin joint there are at least three lines of dialogue that might make your eyes roll into the back of your head and your body produce an involuntary groan so extended that you will likely have to rewind. The Trial of the Chicago 7 is exactly as advertised — a giant, giddy burst of earnest theatricality, loaded with a formidable ensemble that chews on every inch of the scenery, that overall makes a passionate case for the resilience of its formula more than using it as an excuse. It then passed along to Paul Greengrass and even Ben Stiller eyed it at one point. At its core, though, writer-director Aaron Sorkin takes the "trial" part to heart, leading to a largely courtroom-bound affair that -- while entertaining and splendidly cast -- at its best echoes his early triumph with "A Few Good Men.". Clearly Sorkin sees the Chicago 7 as victims of the vilification of dissent. Movie review of The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020) by The Critical Movie Critics | Story of 7 people on trial over the protests at the 1968 Democratic Convention. Maybe real life has made it so that nothing seems over the top anymore. Sorkin and a superb cast make legal proceedings compelling, and then show that the law is an ass. The filmmaker crafts an entertaining, immersive and ultimately optimistic spectacle that never forgets, especially at its ending, that humanity should always trump the system. But it just goes to show how good the rest of it is that a few clunkers could stick out that much. Now before watching this movie I knew a little bit about the Chicago 7, but nothing in depth. critics consensus. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Advertisement It’s when one considers the overall picture that things get a little hazy. An emotionally tough watch – though an exhilarating one tahnks to Aaron Sorkin's reliably taught script and direction. Trial of the Chicago 7 Recreational Critics Podcasts • By Jason and Marvin Rhodeman • Oct 20, 2020. Oscar. Nomadland continued its dominant run of wins in Best Picture and Best Director, while Chadwick Boseman and Daniel Kaluuya repeated their acting wins, as did Aaron Sorkin for his The Trial of the Chicago 7 … But as a delivery system for great performers rattling off great dialogue, it’s almost unbeatable. (Image courtesy of Netflix) THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7— 5 STARS. The movie is at its best and most persuasive in the courtroom, when Sorkin can draw on the clashes of ideology and personality. Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 Viewers with no context of the history behind this courtroom drama might … Sorkin takes a rather dense, complicated court case—one peopled with figures who clung to stubborn differences even in the context of their shared ideals—and keeps it aloft every minute, as if he were following the aerodynamic principles of hang-gliding rather than moviemaking. But watching it at a moment when the majority of the population is moving leftward while our institutions are held hostage by a far-right minority — and when police violence continues, unchecked and unprosecuted, in the streets — provides the vicarious pleasure of watching a bunch of hyperarticulate progressives speak truth to power, and it feels pretty damn good, even if they do all talk a lot like Aaron Sorkin. Awards ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ Is a Timely Courtroom Drama by David Palmer; The Trial of the Chicago 7 Movie Review by Matthew Passantino; FILM REVIEW: ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ is an Arresting Drama by Steven Prusakowski; The Trial Of The Chicago 7 Review: A Powerful & Moving Film by Tessa Smith Briskly paced, bristling with Sorkin’s distinctive verbal fusillades, seamlessly blending conventional courtroom procedural with protest reenactments and documentary footage (including Wexler’s), The Trial of the Chicago 7 offers an absorbing primer in a chapter of American history that was both bizarre and ruefully meaningful. The Trial of the Chicago 7 feels timely in an at-times jolting way, with images of chaos in the streets and angry crowds chanting "The whole world is watching." Aaron Sorkin's The Trial of the Chicago 7—widely praised by critics, including yours truly—arrives on Netflix today. Sorkin has made a movie that's gripping, illuminating and trenchant, as erudite as his best work and always grounded first and foremost in story and character. The Trial of the Chicago 7 moves beyond Sorkin the writer of dialogue, or Sorkin the supplier of scripts to the likes of Rob Reiner, David Fincher and Danny Boyle, to Sorkin the filmmaker. User Reviews While many will draw parallels between scenes involving civil unrest to the events of 2020, the philosophical differences between Hayden and Abbie — cultural versus electoral revolution, respectively — ring closely to the debates raging within progressive politics today, and actually prove more interesting. | This felt like a real event. The Trial of the Chicago 7 began 18 months later, ruled by a corrupt judge—me. Notable Video Game Releases: New and Upcoming, 22 Most-Anticipated TV Shows & Movies to Watch at Home in April. The Trial of the Chicago 7 review – timely courtroom drama Aaron Sorkin’s electrifying dramatisation of the trial of a group of 60s radicals illuminates issues that still trouble America But it’s also not a movie that can be easily shaken off. It’s talky and clumsy, alternating between self-importance and clowning. Best Motion Picture of the Year. That I got those chills down the back as I watched something I’m just loving for the first time of what will be many times. Not only does it represent some of Sorkin’s best work for years, but in this time of civil unrest and with the dark clouds of November nearly upon is, this reminder of the right to resist the state could not be timelier. Sorkin trusts his instincts. Sorkin trusts his instincts. Best of 2018: Film Awards and Nominations, Music title data, credits, and images provided by, Movie title data, credits, and poster art provided by. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 77 out of 100 based on 48 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews." Sorkin’s writing may be better served by a director who can bring a new set of perspectives and dynamics to the work, rather than simply presenting them head-on. It looks and sounds great, but should it? External Reviews. He [Sorkin] can also become fantastically ponderous, bloated with finger-waggingly self-important liberal patriotism. Thu 24 Sep 2020 21.00 EDT. Nielsen & ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ – Alan Baumgarten *TIE* Best Visual Effects: ‘Tenet’ The Trial of the Chicago 7 is exactly as advertised — a giant, giddy burst of earnest theatricality, loaded with a formidable ensemble that chews on every inch of the scenery, that overall makes a passionate case for the resilience of its formula more than using it as an excuse.