The Trial of the Chicago 7

How perfect is this source material for writer Aaron Sorkin's sharpened quill? The infamous late '60s court trial in which eight wildly diverse (but with similar political bents) defendants were accused of inciting riots outside the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago.  Another opportunity for Sorkin - who also directed - to stage courtroom fireworks and histrionics.  He does not disappoint, at least in that regard.   Remember A FEW GOOD MEN? People still quote Nicholson. 

Sorkin is well known for his liberal point of view, cemented by The West Wing.   I like his stuff, and consider myself a fan.  But I tend to prefer his work in THE SOCIAL NETWORK.  Less grandstanding, and more clinical, if you will.  Maybe what I am really getting at (in part) is that I'm not so sure Sorkin is a director.   I have not seen MOLLY'S GAME, his debut in the chair.  The recent THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 suggests Sorkin needs some lessons in how to block a scene, to find a visual sense.  These are deficiencies that I cannot ignore, no matter how much I like his script.  Maybe I should've just read it. 

But there too, I have some issues.  Apparently the film follows the lengthy, circus atmosphere trial with some accuracy.  Those on trial, who include Tom Hayden (Eddie Redmayne), Abbie Hoffman (Sacha Baron Cohen), and Jerry Rubin (Jeremy Strong), are reputed to be painted fairly.  But Sorkin just can't resist the opportunity to milk those Big Moments.  As if he were recreating the climax of DEAD POETS SOCIETY a half dozen times.  Note this film's finale, one which I will not spoil but does involve a lengthy reading that feels like a brazen attempt to get the audience on its feet to cheer.  I'm sure this would've happened in the theater.  Alas, it only got a brief theatrical run before its Netflix debut last month.  

There's also a moment midway in the picture involving the binding and gagging of Black Panther chairman Bobby Seale (Yahya Abdul-Mateen) in his courtroom seat in front of the jury.  That did, however, really happen.  But here it feels, contrived.  Somehow Milos Forman staged courtroom shenanigans in THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLYNT that felt more organic.

But again it goes back to the source.  Just right for Sorkin's preachy style.  I should applaud this marriage of fiery history and artistic craft, but my praise is mild.  It all felt like a polemic to me, but that's not THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7's ultimate problem - it's Sorkin's enthusiastic embrace of look-at-me posturing in the most Hollywood of fashions, something not seen as often these days.  It has its place, I guess.  The details of this trial are fascinating and its players, which also include Defense Counsel William Kunstler (Mark Rylance) and the infuriatingly biased Judge Julius Hoffman (Frank Langella), are all given rich character sketches.  The cast is just about across the board excellent.  But Sorkin the writer should've fired Sorkin the director.  The right directorial touch for this project is somewhere between David Fincher and C-SPAN.