Aaron Sorkinis perhaps best known as a screenwriter, playwright, and director over the last few years. While his most recent projects have taken him to Broadway, asDeadlinereports, Sorkin may not yet be done in Hollywood. Over the last few decades, he has made a name for himself as an acclaimed screenwriter. His most notable works include writing for critically acclaimed TV series likeThe West Wingand movies likeTheSocial Network.
What needs to be talked more about are Sorkin’s films that he directed. To date, Sorkin has directed three films that have all been based on true events. Frommovies about politicslikeThe Trial of the Chicago 7to films based on famous people, like Lucile Ball inBeing the Ricardos, Sorkin has taken true stories and retold them in new films. His arguably most famous film is one that is based on Olympic-class skier Molly Bloom inMolly’s Game,starring Jessica Chastainand Idris Elba. While Sorkin has only directed three films to date, his fans are eagerly awaiting a fourth. Here are his best direct movies, ranked.
3Being the Ricardos
Being the Ricardosis Sorkin’s most recent directed film. The Amazon Prime original was released on the streaming service in 2021 and featured Nicole Kidman as the iconic Lucille Ball and Javier Bardem as Desi Arnaz, her husband in real life and on the hit showI Love Lucy. Despite being nominated for three Oscars, including ones for both Kidman and Bardem, there was a lot of speculation behind casting the two as Lucy and Desi. J.K Simmons was also nominated for his supporting role as William Frawley, the drunken neighbor to the Ricardos on-set. The film follows Lucy and Desi’s early years in the relationship and how they ultimately became the Ricardos.
Related:Being the Ricardos Review: Nicole Kidman & Javier Bardem Stun in Aaron Sorkin’s I Love Lucy Drama
2Molly’s Game
Molly’s Gameis a 2017 film that follows thetrue story of Molly Bloom, the Olympic-class skier who ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game that made her a target to the FBI. The biography-meets-drama film earned Sorkin an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay as he not only directed the film but also wrote it.
After an injury ends Molly’s career, she finds herself moving to Los Angeles to start a new life. Once there, she quickly learns that the quickest way to succeed and to make a living would be to host high-stakes poker games for celebrities, well-off businessmen, and the elite. One of these games gets her captured by the FBI and forced into court to face charges for her actions. Idris Elba plays Charlie Jaffey, the lawyer who would up representing the poker princess, played by Jessica Chastain.
Related:Aaron Sorkin Still Hopes to Make The Social Network 2 with Director David Fincher
1The Trial of the Chicago 7
WhileMolly’s Gamemay be argued to be Sorkin’s best film, his 2020 filmThe Trial of the Chicago 7earns his top spot, having been nominated for an outstanding six Oscars, including Best Motion Picture of the Year and Best Original Screenplay for Sorkin. Backed by a stellar cast, including Sasha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne, Jeremy Strong, John Carroll Lynch, Mark Rylance, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, to name a few, and a sharp adapted screenplay,The Trial of the Chicago 7is easily one of the best original Netflix films to date.
The film follows the true story of the seven people on trial — dubbed the Chicago 7 — for charges stemming from the uprising at the 1968 Democratic National Convention held in Chicago, Illinois. The people on trial include Tom Hayden from the Students for a Democratic Society, militant Yippies led by Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin, and conspirators like Bobby Seale from the Black Panthers who wasn’t even at the riot.Chicago 7follows the events leading up to the trial, the tension between those who are on trial, and of course, the ridiculous trial itself.
