The Trial of Chicago 7 - A Netflix Movie Review

Always stand up for your rights. Never back down from the challenge.

The Trial of Chicago 7 is a 2020 Netflix film based on the true events of the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois. A group of seven people with different political backgrounds fight for their rights.

I judged The Trial of Chicago 7 believing that it was going to be a boring and drawn-out film. Boy, was I wrong. Originally, I was going to skip out on it, but nobody should ever ignore a Golden Globe nominee. The film details every moment from this historical trial. No matter what, never back down from the fight to stand up for your rights.

Every actor does a credible job depicting the personas of notable figures from history. Eddie Redmayne, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jeremy Strong, Alex Sharp, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Mark Rylance, Caitlin FitzGerald, Michael Keaton, and Frank Langella all did an extraordinary job.

Eddie Redmayne delivers a strong performance. He is really starting to come into his own as an actor. I’m surprised that he was not looked at for this year’s Golden Globes. Sacha Baron Cohen was nominated for Best Actor for his performance. In my opinion, while Cohen was great, Redmayne was more engrossing, particularly in his scene where he took a stand.

Everyone has a moment to showcase their talents. I was impressed with Gordon-Levitt and Abdul-Mateen II who gave solid performances. There were many people to portray from history. The Trial of Chicago 7 does not fail in delivering its authenticity.

One aspect of this film that stands out is the blend of a serious and comedic tone. I did not expect the funny moments. There’s a lot more comedy to be expected. Cohen and Strong delivered most of it with their humorous personalities.

Other bits of comedy were based on deliverance from the cast. It knew when it had to be serious. I will never forget how the film immediately changed into a serious tone. There’s an immense change in the behavior.

Andy Sorkin made wise decisions in keeping audiences involved in the story. Politics are not for everybody but he enforced how important it is to take a trial seriously. Although it was not given the utmost attention, Sorkin included a deep moment from the eyes of a child. Several eyes viewed this trial when it happened. The story is relatable to all audiences.

The Trial of Chicago 7 is edited together very well. It breaks for a moment between trial scenes. Sorkin authenticated the story. His nomination for best director at the Golden Globes is well deserved. The film is well-directed and I actually felt like I was watching the real events from history. I wish him the best for the rest of the awards season.

It’s unimaginable how much this story resonates with today’s standards. We are still at war in politics. People fight to fend for their rights and share their voices. The Trial of Chicago 7 is an important story that needed to be told. I never knew anything about it until viewing this film.

Take caution because there are scenes of violence. The film does not spend a lot of time on the violence, but when it does, filmmakers did not hold back. As I said, they wanted to authenticate everything that happened from this trial that lasted over 100 days. For anyone who has triggers related to violence, it’s best to avoid this film.

Don’t skip out on seeing The Trial of Chicago 7. It is a deep film. I recommend that you find it on Netflix.