alobear | The Trial of the Chicago 7

Dave asked me if I wanted to watch The Trial of the Chicago 7 and I wasn't sure. It was the fact it was written and directed by Aaron Sorkin that swung it for me - and I'm glad, because it was excellent. In its inimitable Sorkin way, the film managed to be entertaining, informative, funny, horrifying and clever by turns. I didn't know anything previously about the Chicago riots of 1968, and the film presented a very particular perspective (with a lot of dramatic license, I'm sure), but it did it very well. The cast was phenomenal, the writing was excellent, and the intercutting of real footage from the time was very effective.

I did have a few moments of existential despair at the sense that things haven't really improved since (which feels more true this year than last, though I'm sure it's not) but overall this is highly recommended.