Les Sept de Chicago

Je me suis régalé ! Et je suis content d’avoir encore étoffé mes connaissances historiques. J'avais une connaissance générale des Black Panthers, du mécontentement surtout des jeunes face à la guerre dévastatrice au Vietnam, mais je n'avais aucune conscience des événements spécifiquement relatés dans ce film. Et qui a-t-on comme acteurs ? La distribution est spectaculaire, surtout avec Sacha Baron Cohen dans le rôle central, une chose que j'ai trouvée assez surprenante. Impossible de ne pas mentionner non plus ce cher Eddie Redmayne, ainsi que Frank Langella, toujours délicieusement détestable dans ses rôles. Et ce serait faire preuve d'injustice que de ne pas encore souligner les performances de Jeremy Strong, Mark Rylance et Alex Sharp. Je m’étonne juste que Les Sept de Chicago ne se soit pas plus distingué aux Golden Globe. Espérons qu’il soit davantage récompensé aux Oscars. (14/03/2021)

Une dissertation délicatement écrite, jouée et montée, sur les bonnes valeurs et un mauvais système de pouvoir, qui surprend avec une conclusion plutôt banale et, pour Sorkin, étonnamment pathétique. Le point culminant du film selon moi reste le long plan-séquence dans la salle d'audience, suivie de plans statiques sur les personnes présentes se mettant au garde-à-vous à l'entrée du juge dans la salle. (27/10/2020)

A history lesson for high school students led by a vain teacher who likes to show how he can popularize an interpretation even at the cost of losing the essentials. It's a courtroom sitcom that still balances on the edge of a caricature. The connection between the court proceedings and the events during the demonstration is laborious in terms of the directing, and the screenplay, despite having a good rhythm, sometimes feels like its showing off. The acting is satisfactory and it's not boring, but for me it doesn't have any deeper impact beyond decent fun, with a somewhat clumsy ambition to become a society-wide event. (22/10/2020)

There are three to four major fundamental scenes where Sorkin's typical continuous flow of words goes silent and the power of the message is fully taken over by the image. And I can't shake the feeling that if Spielberg had shot it (as he originally intended to do more than a decade ago), then it's exactly these scenes that would have made memorable moments. As it stands, however, they are too wishy-washy and without the intended emotional impact. Otherwise, there are no drawbacks; it is another trademark-quality Sorkin movie with all of the good and bad that goes with it. Perhaps it's just an unusually small amount of movement for Sorkin (apart from the opening), which is largely due to the setting. Stunning acting, the depiction of the characters tends somewhat toward caricature, a furious pace, polished dialogue, a refined reality with obvious yet unexpressed overlaps.... Simply put, another Sorkin movie. (17/10/2020)

I won’t lie, Netflix finally dropped something that’s instantly grabbing attention and doesn't reek of cheapness. It’s even buzzing with potential Oscar nods. In just under a month, over three thousand people have rated it, and the praise has been pouring in. Naturally, I was excited. But in the end? It’s more average than anything. The subject matter feels very American, and it took me a while to really get what was happening. Not being familiar with the historical context of the Chicago trial in 1968 definitely didn’t help. Plus, I’ve seen courtroom dramas done way better. That said, the performances are the film’s clear highlight—Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne, Mark Rylance, and Frank Langella all shine. The classic, feel-good Hollywood ending was a nice touch too. But beyond that, I expected more. Way more. (08/11/2020)