Judge Julius Hoffman gives important prejudice for the prosecution. Seale’s attorney, Charles Garry, cannot serve due to sickness, leading Judge Hoffman to command that Kunstler represents all eight defendants. This perseverance is denied repeatedly by both Kunstler and Seale. Seale takes support from Fred Hampton, which Judge Hoffman assumes is legal help. Abbie Hoffman openly alienates the court. Judge Hoffman begins removing jurors who are assumed to sympathize with the defendants due to related intimidations from the Black Panther Party and charges the respondents and their lawyers with multiple contempt of court counts.

Real Story To Reel Story

The reel story is adapted from a real story, and it is a very neat projection of a very ugly business that took place in the USA in the year 1968. Black Panther Party was an anti Racist party; Who’s members were mostly accused of initiating riots, which is not quite possible. Various undercover local policemen, officers, and FBI agents testify. At the time of the convention, Hayden notified two police officers tailing Davis and endeavored to let the air out of their tire. However, they were caught and later imprisoned. Abbie and others led a protest to the police station, where Hayden was imprisoned but turned throughout upon seeing the police blockade outside. When trying to respond to the park, police took charge of the hill to disband the crowd. A riot ensued, and the protestors battled with police in an attempt to claim the hill.

Black Mark On America’s History

Kunstler gives a point that none of the defenses instigated the riot. Days later, the defenses learn that Fred Hampton was killed during a police raid. In vengeance to Seale continuing to speak up for his constitutional rights, Judge Hoffman has him taken to another room, beaten, and turned gagged and bound. The prosecution and maintenance object to the judge’s order and Judge Hoffman declares Seale’s case a mistrial. The movie clearly shows the trail of injustice that happened with the defenses. Whereas the reports of 1968 say that defenses were rightly accused. In the era of smartphones and CCTV cameras, we knew that George Floyd lost his life because he was Balck, and many people captured this act of racism. But, what would have happened if we were still living in the primitive age? The movie forces us to think another way around, which means the movie leaves a very solid impact on us. Aaron Sorkin did an amazing job by drawing people’s attention to the black spot of American History. The argument decides to put Ramsey Clark, Attorney General during the riots, on the stand. Judge Hoffman declines to let him testify in front of the jury that he had degenerated to initiate performances after the riots because of testimony that the Chicago Police Department urged them. Dellinger punches a bailiff, resulting in his imprisonment.

If Our Blood Flow..

Kunstler presents a tape involving Hayden to the prisoners and preps Hayden for cross-analysis. In the twilight of the riot, Davis tried to pacify police trying to arrest a secondary climbing a flagpole. After the police pounded Davis’ head, an enraged Hayden shouted, “If blood is going to flow, then let it flow all across the city!”. The defendants were eventually caught by the police, who removed their devices and proceeded to assault them. Abbie understands that Hayden was taken out of context, insisting that the original description would have begun with, “If our blood is going to flow … .”; Hayden asks him to testify. In his statement, Abbie strengthens that Hayden was misconstrued and states his disdain for the U.S. government’s control. At the end of the trial, notwithstanding Judge Hoffman’s guidance and objections, Hayden uses the closing declaration to name the 4,752 soldiers killed in the Vietnam War since the lawsuit began. This act helps many on the court to stand and cheer. An epilogue describes Seale, Rubin, Abbie, Hayden, and Judge Hoffman’s lives after the trial.  The movie ends with a very strong message that cleans the image of the “Chicago Seven.” The USA has always painted them as the bad guys, but this movie really helped change our perspective. Chicago 7 was not the one disporting peace. They were just fighting for their identity, which was their right.  Nationality and identity are something we seek from the day we are born, but they had to fight for it. The movie flipped the coin to show us the other part of the story and showed us why politics is called ugly. 

Rating

Writing for the Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times gave the movie four out of four stars, saying, “Certain events are rearranged from the accurate timelines, and yes, The Trial of the Chicago 7 applications poetical license. This is not a documentary. It’s a dramatization of stories that resonates with great energy while containing fundamental truths; It’s one of the best documentaries of the year.” 

IndieWire’s Eric Kohn presented the movie a “B,” saying Sorkin “directs his own blunt, energetic screenplay with the opinions of a storyteller fully committed to the comparisons at hand,” and that Sacha Baron Cohen “steals the show.” Owen Gleiberman of Variety celebrated Baron Cohen’s and Redmayne’s accomplishments and said, “Sorkin has planned The Trial of the Chicago 7 ingeniously so that it’s nevermore about just one thing. It’s about the theatrical madness of the war in the courtroom; About how the administration would stop at extinction (including flagrant efforts at jury tampering), and about the governments, at once planned and spontaneous; Of how the Chicago demonstrations revealed.”  However, some reviewers found that the film twisted the lines between fictional elements and original events. Jeremy Kagan, the author and producer of the 1987 movie Trick: The Trail Of the Chicago 8, says. “Sorkin is a talented director and intelligent writer. 

Verdict

One word: BREATHTAKING!!!. From the opening few minutes; I thought this film was going to be one of those boring period dramas. From the initial stages of the famous ‘Trial of the Chicago 7’, the dialogue, the emotional depth. The courtroom drama was riveting. From watching the court scenes right to the end you are thoroughly engaged, it never gets dull. There is No Doubt that the movie was a masterpiece. I would rate The Trial of Chicago 7, 4.5 out of 5. The film delivers a powerful message that reveals the true essence of why there is injustice in the unlikeliest of places throughout history. The film’s closing scene was possibly the best scene of the film was; When Tom Hayden read over 4500 names of his fellow Americans who died in the Vietnam war. That part is pure cinematic gold. The realism in the film, largely due to its being based on actual events, the depiction of police brutality. The many evils still present in America in this modern age; All contribute to what I found to be one of the most entertaining films ever made. It is a perfect film, ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ would be very close to that standard. This film is a serious contender for 2020 Best Picture. I firmly believe that Eddie Redmayne deserves the Academy Award for Best Actor for his brilliant portrayal of Tom Hayden. I would really like to appreciate the director; As he is using his fundamental right “Right To Speech And Expression” efficiently. The world needs such movies like these that expose the truth. He managed to create a masterpiece without any fear of getting into any trouble. This world needs more creators like Aaron Sorkin.

The Trial Of The Chicago 7 Review - 22The Trial Of The Chicago 7 Review - 89