The Trial of the Chicago 7 – Movie Reviews by Ry!
The Trial of the Chicago 7 – Seven Ways on the Court: Writing of Moments
The art of storytelling is a balance of many things. From characters to setting, the riveting tales can lead to an endearing adventure. From fantasy to romance, pushing forward relatability is in the writing. The words to entice emotional reaction is a delicate craft, leveling creative thought within a passion for the art. In this latest review, I look at a film that pushes the mark of a topical tale within the mastery of writing. With strength of an ensemble cast, Aaron Sorkin creates a film that produces heart, wit, and relevancy of the past. The Trial of the Chicago 7 is an endearing reflection of real-life events, showing how a group can leave a mark for lasting generations.
This is the story of prominent figures that were put on trial for confrontations between protester and polices during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. The general focus of the script is on the trial, created through an execution of characterization of conversation encompassed by court drama tropes. The trial takes place after the election of Richard Nixon, where the new Attorney General is tasked with charging 8 individuals for instigating riots during the conventions. Once all the main players are introduced, the story moves through an unorthodox format of dialogue delivery. The man behind the script (Aaron Sorkin) directs scene progression through the ‘back-and-forth’ method of wordplay. The emotional fervor is delivered through generalities of the situations. This pushes forward unique stylings of character development, blending witty dialogue with exposition. The mastery comes in not forcing plot elements for the sake of development, but an organic blend that allows the audience to feel real conversations in the familiar. Being center stage, the directive creates a background of worth in each sides’ arguments in the trial. As the trial progresses, the level of detail is heightened by the strength of the ensemble cast. With actors like Eddie Redmayne, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jeremy Strong, Mark Rylance and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, it moves the courtroom drama outline through a spectrum of colorful delight. As the characters they play are driven by unique circumstance, they level out realism within the spectacle of entertainment. You are enthralled by the issues through a sense of brevity. This leads to relatable awareness, even if there is a bit of embellishment by ‘movie magic’ guise.
As the story moves into the latter half, things push through the back and forth semantics of the trial. As flashbacks slowly reveal what happen during the confrontations, the haze of truth lifts the posturing of each side. This creates riveting detail of the overall themes, giving evolution of times fraught with individual purpose. As everything comes to head, all are left with revisiting their own reasons in the conflict of social ambiguity and acceptance. This leads into a climax that is typical of a courtroom drama, influenced by an endearment above its material. The Trial of the Chicago 7 pushes forward strong characters and witty dialogue within a representation of social indifference. The mastery is within the writing, a testament to Aaron Sorkin craftmanship. If you are fan of the writer/director, ensemble cast or court dramas, this is definite watch. This is available on Netflix, an award-worthy kind of experience.
Full Score – 4.5 out of 5 (Award Worthy)