Name: The Trial of the Chicago 7 (7.5/10) - "We want to underscore again, that we’re coming to Chicago peacefully, but whether we’re given permits or not, we’re coming."
Item: The Trial of the Chicago 7
Author: @dedicatedguy

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Netflix recently released this drama with a bunch of great actors including Sacha Baron Coen, Eddie Redmayne, Michael Keaton, among many others, but these ones are the most popular I believe. The story, as the name indicates, is about the trial of the leaders of a protest against the Vietnam war in a Democratic National Convention.

In the movie we will see what these leaders were fighting for, we will see how the trial wasn't fair since the beginning and how it resembled a political trial rather than a fair, objective, and transparent one. The movie shows how the government tried all sorts of dirty tactics to damage the image of these people and there are also a few scenes showing police brutality and corruption.

I don't know if this movie provides a fair image as to what actually happened so I just mention what I saw in the film. However, this is all supposed to be based on real events so it should be close to accurate, to say the least.

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The most important characters are naturally portrayed by Sacha Baron Coen and Eddie Redmayne. They both gave a great performance in their roles, especially Coen whose character was more bizarre, bohemian, hippy-like, and therefore, more challenging to portray accurately.

Most of the movie happens at the trial, with the judge mistreating them and adopting a very hostile attitude, there are also some flashbacks that show the true events that ended up taking them to trial. Little explanation is given about the war in Vietnam, only that it is bad and America shouldn't participate in it.

The movie should mention at least basic information about the consequences of letting socialism loose. America wasn't the only foreign power that participated in the war against socialism in Vietnam. There were also socialist tyrannies that participated and helped North Vietnam such as the Soviet Union and China. The movie doesn't mention the success America had in the Korean war, which resulted in what is known today as South Korea, and when comparing this successful country with North Korea, the socialist one which exists thanks to the Soviet Union and China, the differences regarding which system and ideology are better couldn't be clearer.

Sadly for Vietnam, they didn't have the luck South Korea had and they ended up suffering the classical miseries socialism always brings. However, it is understandable if Americans don't want to invest their resources fighting for the freedom of a different country, but trying to vilify America while ignoring the horror from socialists countries isn't only dishonest but immoral. I think that most people don't realize that without America, the power vacuum always ends up being occupied by totalitarian forces that are much worse in every sense.

In the end, it was a good film that most people will surely enjoy. It can get boring for some because as I mentioned, most of the film takes place in the trial, but for those who enjoy a good drama and seeing these types of social issues in movies, then this one would surely be well regarded.