Actually, Hoffman and company were known as the Chicago Seven. Morgen includes another rebel, Black Panther Bobby Seale, and lawyers William Kunstler and Leonard Weinglass, who ran afoul of the patently hostile Judge Julius Hoffman. Since there is no footage of the trial, Morgen uses animation to portray the protestors, who became a symbol for resistance to the Vietnam War and the repressive tactics meant to crush dissent. But the animation (by Curious Pictures, Yowza Animation and Asterisk) is downright ugly. It is also jarring and has an annoying effect instead of earning points for creativity.

Leading actors have lent their voices to the animated characters—Hank Azaria as Abbie Hoffman and Allen Ginzberg, Mark Ruffalo as Jerry Rubin, Jeffrey Wright as Seale, Dylan Baker as Dave Dellinger and David Stahl, Liev Schreiber as Kunstler, Nick Nolte as prosecutor Thomas Foran and Roy Scheider (who just recently died) as the villainously depicted Judge Hoffman. Others important at the time are also seen through animation and there is a rousing musical soundtrack.

The film could have been much more effective built on the actual clips of the dissenters that do exist and comments on the trial rather than the odd mix that becomes distracting rather than illuminating. Also, the subject is explored more in a surface way than with the depth of perspective.

But flaws aside, “Chicago 10” does serve to remind us of a time when the Vietnam War had torn America apart and when there were those who had the guts to defy authority in the name of peace. Some of their methods were often circus-like, but that was a valid response to the absurdities being foisted on the public. And Hoffman, RubIn and company managed to command attention and earn a flock of admirers. Surely in scanning the history of those events there are lessons for today at the time of the Iraq debacle and policies of the current administration.