by James Cowan
Aaron Sorkin is back with a bang with The Trial of the Chicago 7, the second directorial attempt from the biggest screenwriter celebrity name in Hollywood. His directorial debut, Molly's Game, whilst undoubtedly a fascinating real life story, did not cement Sorkin as a director with skills equal to his already glittering screenwriting career. Admittedly, I am biased, having idolised Sorkin's witty and practically inimitable dialogue from previous TV works including The West Wing and The Newsroom and iconic films such as The Social Network and A Few Good Men.
Spectacular performances from Eddie Redmayne, Joseph Gordon Levitt and Jeremy Strong are outclassed by what will surely be an Oscar-contending performance from Sacha Baron Cohen, who swiftly and smartly capitalized on this to release Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan just one week after Sorkin's film.
As an aspiring screenwriter/director, naturally Sorkin's Masterclass on screenwriting drew my attention (it’s kinda overpriced, DM me for my notes). Whilst Molly's Game drew relatively positive critical reviews, it disappointed me for breaking one of the first rules my new mentor Sorkin had taught me (online, but let me dream pls): after ranting about the futility of doing this, Sorkin had blasphemously incorporated a voiceover into a scene in which he clearly showed what Molly was telling us in said voiceover. Naturally, I was shocked and related to the phrase "never meet your heroes" (especially online). Don't get me wrong, I would still happily bite your arm off to get Sorkin's autograph; the man remains a living legend, but he did let me down with Molly's Game.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Trial of The Chicago 7, but I see it as perhaps a slightly lazy return to Sorkin's comfort zone. In Sorkin’s masterclass (to be clear: I'm not claiming this 'masterclass' is the key to understanding Sorkin, but he does give some interesting personal anecdotes and insights), he shows that the courtroom drama is something he revels in. It allows him an easy arena for exposition and the quick-paced, passionate dialogue he excels at.
It is difficult to escape the backdrop of the film. As I write this, I am struggling to sleep as the results of the American election come in (the sleeplessness is unrelated- I just really fancied a cheeky film review), and I reflect on how Sorkin uses the boundlessly charismatic characters of Jerry Rubin and Abbie Hoffman (played by Strong and Cohen respectively) to give a Bernie-esque, idealised radicalism to the American peaceful protest during the Vietnam war. Yet, as the film draws to a close, one can't help but think that Sorkin casts these contributions aside slightly, in favour of the more centric Tom Hayden (played by Redmayne)- Hoffman as his own character is shown as a revolutionary, yes, but Hayden is more practical, caring about implementing what he sees as ‘real’ change with the right political leadership.
I doubt I'll ever fall out of love with Sorkin's style, but, at least in my view, that is only what this film is: it is unequivocally style over substance and it doesn't actually offer as much of a political statement as the trailers and publicity seem to suggest.
It may not be Citizen Kane but I definitely see it as one of the best films of 2020 so far and definitely worth seeing, especially now we're in lockdown, if not just to watch 'Ali G'/'Borat'/'Bruno' delivering a virtuoso serious performance.
Anticipation: A stellar cast, a great story, Sorkin writing- what could go wrong?
Appreciation: a social justice warrior's dream (not in a bad way), but sometimes it appears like Sorkin is pandering and attempting to relate the film too much to current political circumstances in the US
Hindsight: A courtroom drama to rival Sorkin's debut with A Few Good Men
Personal reflection: I'm calling Sacha Baron Cohen to at least get nominated for his portrayal of Abbie Hoffman. It has already made me contemplate how exactly I can pull off what Hoffman instructs his readers to do with the title of his magnum opus, Steal This Book. Cohen's performance coupled with Sorkin's writing has made me want to know more about such an interesting and rebellious character
Comments