The Trial of the Chicago 7
In Chicago 1968, the Democratic Party Convention was met with protests from activists like the moderate Students for a Democratic Society led by Tom Hayden and the militant Yippies led by Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin, which led to violent confrontations with the local authorities. As a result, seven of the accused ringleaders are arraigned on charges like Conspiracy by the hostile Nixon administration, including Bobby Seale of the Black Panthers who was not involved in the incident. What follows is an unfair trial presided by the belligerent Judge Hoffman (No relation) and prosecuted by a reluctant but duty-bound Richard Schultz. As their pro bono lawyers face such odds, Hayden and his fellows are frustrated by the Yippies' outrageous antics undermining their defense in defiance of the system even while Seale is denied a chance to defend himself his way. Along the way, the Chicago 7 clash in their political philosophies even as they learn they need each other in this fight.
The film commercial failure against its moderate budget of $35.0M, earning $107K globally (-100% loss). While initial box office returns were modest, the film has gained appreciation for its unique voice within the drama genre.
Nominated for 6 Oscars. 59 wins & 195 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020) reveals precise narrative architecture, characteristic of Aaron Sorkin's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 10 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.2, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Tom Hayden
Abbie Hoffman
Bobby Seale
William Kunstler
Judge Julius Hoffman
Richard Schultz
Jerry Rubin
Rennie Davis
David Dellinger
Main Cast & Characters
Tom Hayden
Played by Eddie Redmayne
Co-founder of Students for a Democratic Society, pragmatic organizer who seeks to work within the system to achieve change.
Abbie Hoffman
Played by Sacha Baron Cohen
Yippie activist and counterculture icon who uses humor and theatrics to challenge authority and expose the trial's absurdity.
Bobby Seale
Played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
Black Panther Party chairman, tried separately but bound and gagged in court, representing the intersection of anti-war and civil rights movements.
William Kunstler
Played by Mark Rylance
Civil rights attorney defending the Chicago 7, passionate advocate who fights against judicial misconduct and systemic injustice.
Judge Julius Hoffman
Played by Frank Langella
Presiding judge whose bias, contempt, and authoritarian courtroom management turn the trial into a travesty of justice.
Richard Schultz
Played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Federal prosecutor who pursues the case with increasing doubt about its merit and his own role in political prosecution.
Jerry Rubin
Played by Jeremy Strong
Yippie co-founder and Abbie's partner in theatrical protest, equally committed to disrupting establishment norms.
Rennie Davis
Played by Alex Sharp
Pacifist organizer and SDS member, idealistic advocate for nonviolent protest and social change.
David Dellinger
Played by John Carroll Lynch
Eldest defendant and committed pacifist, veteran activist who serves as moral center of the group.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes The film opens with archival-style footage and introduces the various protest groups preparing for the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, establishing the idealism and political tensions of the era.. Of particular interest, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 16 minutes when The trial officially begins with Judge Julius Hoffman presiding. His immediate bias becomes clear as he denies reasonable motions and shows open hostility toward the defendants, particularly Bobby Seale whose lawyer is hospitalized.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 33 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This demonstrates the protagonist's commitment to The defendants collectively decide to fight the trial on their own terms rather than playing by the court's rigged rules. Abbie Hoffman wears judicial robes to court, making clear they will use the trial as a platform for their message., moving from reaction to action.
At 65 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat Bobby Seale is bound and gagged in the courtroom after repeatedly demanding his right to counsel. The horrifying image of a Black man in chains in an American courtroom shocks everyone - a false defeat that exposes the trial's true nature., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 98 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The revelation that an undercover informant was among them shatters the defendants' trust. Combined with the news of Fred Hampton's assassination by police, hope seems lost. The system appears unbeatable; they will likely be convicted., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 104 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Tom Hayden realizes that the trial itself has become their victory - the whole country is watching. He reconciles with Abbie Hoffman, understanding that both approaches to resistance are necessary. Unity becomes their weapon., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Trial of the Chicago 7's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping The Trial of the Chicago 7 against these established plot points, we can identify how Aaron Sorkin utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Trial of the Chicago 7 within the drama genre.
Aaron Sorkin's Structural Approach
Among the 2 Aaron Sorkin films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.7, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. The Trial of the Chicago 7 represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Aaron Sorkin filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include After Thomas, South Pacific and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. For more Aaron Sorkin analyses, see Molly's Game.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
The film opens with archival-style footage and introduces the various protest groups preparing for the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, establishing the idealism and political tensions of the era.
Theme
Attorney General John Mitchell tells prosecutor Richard Schultz that the trial isn't about justice but about sending a message - establishing the central theme that the legal system can be weaponized against dissent.
Worldbuilding
The setup establishes the seven defendants and their disparate backgrounds: Hayden and Davis from SDS, Hoffman and Rubin as Yippies, Dellinger as pacifist, Seale from Black Panthers, and the lesser-known Lee Weiner and John Froines. Their ideological differences are immediately apparent.
Disruption
The trial officially begins with Judge Julius Hoffman presiding. His immediate bias becomes clear as he denies reasonable motions and shows open hostility toward the defendants, particularly Bobby Seale whose lawyer is hospitalized.
Resistance
Defense attorney William Kunstler attempts to navigate the hostile courtroom while the defendants struggle to work together. Hayden urges respectability while Hoffman embraces theatrical protest. Bobby Seale repeatedly demands his constitutional right to counsel.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The defendants collectively decide to fight the trial on their own terms rather than playing by the court's rigged rules. Abbie Hoffman wears judicial robes to court, making clear they will use the trial as a platform for their message.
Mirror World
The relationship between the idealistic Tom Hayden and the pragmatic Abbie Hoffman deepens as they debate tactics. Their philosophical conflict about working within vs. outside the system becomes the thematic heart of the film.
Premise
The trial unfolds with theatrical courtroom confrontations, flashbacks to the Convention violence, and the defendants' increasingly creative protests. Witnesses are called, cross-examined, and the absurdity of the proceedings becomes entertainment.
Midpoint
Bobby Seale is bound and gagged in the courtroom after repeatedly demanding his right to counsel. The horrifying image of a Black man in chains in an American courtroom shocks everyone - a false defeat that exposes the trial's true nature.
Opposition
The prosecution gains momentum. Ramsey Clark is blocked from testifying. Internal conflicts between defendants intensify as Hayden and Hoffman clash over strategy. Evidence mounts and the possibility of conviction becomes real.
Collapse
The revelation that an undercover informant was among them shatters the defendants' trust. Combined with the news of Fred Hampton's assassination by police, hope seems lost. The system appears unbeatable; they will likely be convicted.
Crisis
The defendants face the reality of conviction and prison. Kunstler is held in contempt. The movement they represent seems defeated. Each must reckon with what their sacrifice means and whether it was worth it.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Tom Hayden realizes that the trial itself has become their victory - the whole country is watching. He reconciles with Abbie Hoffman, understanding that both approaches to resistance are necessary. Unity becomes their weapon.
Synthesis
The verdict is delivered - guilty on some counts, not guilty on others. But Tom Hayden seizes his moment to speak, reading the names of American soldiers killed in Vietnam. The courtroom erupts as defendants and gallery stand in solidarity.
Transformation
As Hayden continues reading names and the courtroom rises, text reveals the convictions were overturned on appeal. The image of unified resistance - once fractured idealists now standing together - shows that speaking truth to power creates lasting change.