With a 90 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, Netflix film “The Trial of the Chicago 7” is based on the infamous 1969 trial of seven defendants charged by the federal government on various charges for “inciting a riot.” Arising from the protests against the Vietnam War at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, the trial engrossed the nation and sparked intense conversation on previous controversies.

“The Trial of the Chicago 7” told an engaging story that is relevant to modern predicaments, touching on topics such as systemic and blatant racism through the interactions between Judge Julius Hoffman (Frank Lengella) and Bobby Seaele (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), leader of the Black Panther group. Not only is the movie pertinent to today’s frequently discussed topics, it describes the year-long trial in perfect detail in only 2 hours.

The only downside to “The Trial of the Chicago 7” was that the beginning was too ambiguous and hard to follow for someone who did not live through the case in the ‘70s. Regardless, this issue worked itself out as the movie progressed, and director Aaron Sorkin likely did this to create mystery and suspense.

Although the movie was generally serious, the comedic timing was perfect, and the acting was on-point. Especially thanks to Eddie Redmayne (Tom Hayden) and “Borat” star Sacha Baron Cohen (Abbie Hoffman). 

Despite the lack of a solid beginning, “The Trail of the Chicago 7” was beautifully executed, and every character had a distinct personality. If you have two hours to spare and favor historically relevant movies, “The Trial of the Chicago 7” is for you.