10/16/20 - Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020) - 7+/10
It’s big, it’s loud, it’s tally and ...it’s brilliant. Sorkin’s penchant for dialogue and grandiose speeches excels here. Perhaps a more adaptive and diverse director might have made this even more potent, but the most eloquent words, words of power, protest, the then & the now, are uttered with such fervent gusto and acting bravado by a truly magnificent cast that it still soars. It’s a film of rousing thoughts and immense intentions, and it delivers.
Singling out a true stand-out-and-apart performance here is nigh impossible. Eddie Redmayne recaptures his gravitas, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is stoic and powerful, Jeremy Strong melts into his personable stoner character, and Mark Rylance heaves his embittered befuddlement around each scene as though it was a sack full of stones weighing him down. Everyone is delivering the goods, but Cohen gets the showiest role and capitalizes upon that platform with aplomb. Funny, rowsing, charged with an infectious energy, and oozing charisma with each bite of his chewed scenery. He is able to easily wield a natural “yin/yang” of likability and personability for that character, which sets an entrenching tone and allows for a captivating performance.
Shmaltz may creep in at the seams and artistic liberties dilute the factual superiority, but it still stands as both verdant and vital. It is able to pack a dramatic punch while coyly slipping in some wry humor. A truly enjoyable feature on a dark moment in our country’s history, running the gamut of emotions.
