Brett Morgan's Documentary Chicago Not Quite a Perfect 10

The 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago may have been one of the most pivotal moments in American history. It represents a breakdown of consensus, a separation of generations, and a prominent example of media changing the nation. Some may even interpret it as representing the downfall of American freedom, as a stampede of hippies and other young people—fighting for civil rights and against the war in Vietnam—angrily protested, “the whole world is watching,” before being brutally beaten by the police.

Chicago 10, the new documentary from Brett Morgen (most notable for his Robert Evans documentary The Kid Stays in the Picture), does not exactly set out to teach a historical lesson. Rather, it’s unashamed propaganda for today’s youth. Through the story of the convention and the mad mess of the ensuing trial, Chicago 10 tries to inspire the youth of America to take a stand like they did 40 years ago.

Chicago 10 captures the theatrics of a trial that encapsulated the ridiculous reality of late-1960s America. Morgen combines footage from both the trial and the police brutality during the convention, evoking the general state of mind at the time. But Chicago 10 does not merely resort to typical documentary fashion. Aside from using the brutal archival footage of the riots, Morgen also uses rotoscope animation (think Waking Life, or A Scanner Darkly) to demonstrate the mockery of the trial. Morgen sees the trial as a farce of oppression, and the cheesy animation portrays the insanity. The film employs a great line of voice work to give personalities to these now-iconic men. Hank Azaria channels Abbie Hoffman’s ridiculous intellectualism. The late Roy Scheider creates a great villain in the voice of Judge Julius Hoffman. Other notable voices include Mark Ruffalo, Nick Nolte, and Jeffrey Wright.

Despite these stylistic strengths, Chicago 10 has a weak point—Morgen’s unabashed activism. He sets the footage to contemporary music, including the Beastie Boys, Eminem, and Black Sabbath, as if flooding audience members’ ears with familiar music is the only way he can relate to young people. Morgen idolizes the more fantastical men of the trial, most notably Hoffman and Jerry Rubin, and never attempts to contextualize the historical importance of the event (Hubert Humphrey, Edward McCarthy, and Richard Nixon are never even mentioned). Obviously setting out to create propaganda, Morgen does not even try to give sympathy to the establishment.

But Chicago 10 is clearly intended to inspire the youth of today. Beginning with Lyndon Johnson announcing a troop surge in Vietnam and ending with a man shouting “power to the people!” Chicago 10 wants us to know that it is our time to stand up and fight with any means necessary.