MORAL OF THE MOVIE

If you believe in something, it is likely that you will face resistance and obstacles (some might even be coming from the systems and institutions that you thought would protect you). However, if it is truly worth believing in and fighting for, then you have a responsibility to overcome and speak up. If you don’t, who will? Democracy is meant o give power and voice to the people. So, when those in power try to take it away, it is our duty to take back what’s ours in order for democracy to prevail over corruption and injustice.

WHO I THINK WOULD MOST ENJOY THIS MOVIE

Moviegoers that find a thrill out of legal dramas with witty dialogue and a focus on civil rights; this will be an especially memorable film if you enjoy films that are based on true stories.

ADDITIONAL NOTES/COMMENTARY

Today marks the first of 8 days of daily Academy Award posts! I will posting reviews of all of the Best Picture nominees leading up to Hollywood’s biggest night: The Oscars. Now, I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: Sacha Baron Cohen is one of the most underrated actors working today. Baron Cohen fully commits to every role he plays and is deservedly nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, so it’s nice to finally see him get the credit he deserves. That’s not the only Oscar that this film is nominated for… The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020) is also nominated for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Original Song, and Best Film Editing. The film is tied for second-most Academy Award nominations with a total of six. Accolades aside, the film is a powerful addition to the set of recent movies tackling civil rights, historical injustices, and abuse of political power. This movie is an example of the progress, or lack thereof, since the events that this film depicts over half a century ago. It’s more than unfortunate to see so many parallels between now and then when it comes to suppressing the right to protest, silencing black voices, and police brutality. Yet, the film also beautifully puts the right to protest on a pedestal in a way that is entirely relevant while we have the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement fresh in our memory. The film has the skeleton of a typical legal drama, courtesy of writer-director Aaron Sorkin’s expertise in the genre with a filmography that includes A Few Good Men (1992), The Social Network (2010), and Molly’s Game (2017). Yet, this film is anything but typical and uses powerful dialogue and imagery to interpret the events of the 1968 trial. Sorkin takes some liberties with certain events in his interpretation in order to fit them more nicely into his narrative. So, the film isn’t meant to be taken as gospel, but it manages to get the message across: stick by what you believe in and democracy will prevail. In thee end, The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020) is one of the strongest candidates for Best Picture as a thoroughly entertaining and empowering cinematic experience that is worth watching more than once.