The Case Against 8 (2014)
91%RT Audience Score: 88%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Expansive in scope yet steady in focus, The Case Against 8 offers impassioned social advocacy as well as gripping viewing.
The Case Against 8 is like a legal thriller, but with less John Grisham and more heart. It’s a documentary that tells the story of the fight for marriage equality in California, and it’s surprisingly moving. The film does a great job of humanizing the plaintiffs and lawyers involved in the case, and it’s a powerful reminder of the importance of fighting for equal rights. Plus, it’s got enough legalese to make you feel like a legal expert by the end of it. Overall, it’s a must-watch for anyone who cares about justice and love.
Production Company(ies)
Element Pictures, A24, Film4
Distributor
HBO
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
TV-14
Year of Release
2014
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:1.78 : 1
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Runtime:1h 52m
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Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 6, 2014 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 13, 2015
Genre(s)
Documentary/Lgbtq+
Keyword(s)
documentary, LGBTQ+, landmark Supreme Court case, California, Proposition 8, same-sex marriage, social advocacy, Ben Cotner, Ryan White, directed by, written by, produced by, Ted Olson, Christopher D Dusseault, Jeffrey J Zarrillo, Paul T Katami, Kristin M Perry, Sandra B Stier, starring, critic reviews, reviewed by, box office performance, budget, producer names, MPAA rating, legal thriller, human rights, court case, political opposites, families, consequences, audience reviews, Tomatometer, Fresh Kernels, streaming movies, TV shows, news, theaters, HBO, runtime, distributor, cast and crew, documentary journalism, legal decision, reality television, sob-story, equality, battle for equality, permanent revolution, light moments, investigation, political thrill ride, emotional kick, bigger picture, horror movies, Netflix series, MCU movies, TV premiere dates, worst horror movies, careers, newsletter, Fandango
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Christopher D. Dusseault – Self
Jeffrey J. Zarrillo – Self
Paul T. Katami – Self
Kristin M. Perry – Self
Sandra B. Stier – Self
Director(s)
Ben Cotner, Ryan White
Writer(s)
Ben Cotner, Ryan White
Producer(s)
Ben Cotner, Ryan White
Film Festivals
Sundance, South by Southwest
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (44) | Top Critics (21) | Fresh (40) | Rotten (4)
I was prepared to hate it, but I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t make a damn good story.
July 13, 2021
Fikri
Autostraddle
TOP CRITIC
The film skillfully blends legalese with a humane portrait of the couples who are willing to fight the state for the right to wed.
January 21, 2021
Sarah Mirk
Bitch Media
TOP CRITIC
Ben Cotner and Ryan White treat us to a riveting, satisfying journey, thanks to incredible access to the plaintiffs and lawyers from the earliest stages of the lawsuit.
June 30, 2020
David Lewis
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
What’s most compelling about The Case Against 8 is that it is not a partisan procedural.
November 14, 2014 | Rating: 5/5
Tara Brady
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
An accomplished and well-told piece of documentary journalism.
November 13, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
Cormac O’Brien
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
The Case Against 8 is a documentary on the Californian repeal of same-sex marriage laws and has the tension of a legal thriller as well as being surprisingly moving in its final scenes.
November 7, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
Kate Muir
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
The Case Against 8 is surprisingly involving despite its well-known outcome.
June 20, 2019
C.J. Prince
Way Too Indie
The Case Against 8, or at least its content, is far too important to be depicted as an overly long reality television sob-story.
June 11, 2019 | Rating: 2/5
Christopher Preston
One Room With A View
The film is a powerful evocation of the permanent revolution of the battle for equality and human rights, but ultimately The Case Against 8 is stymied by the reversal of the legal decision not to allow the legal case to be filmed.
April 3, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
D.W. Mault
CineVue
The narrative is dense, but understandably so, and not without its light moments. A richly informative investigation, it pulls viewers along on a political and legal thrill ride that will have you cheering the central couples on scene after scene.
October 25, 2016
Amy Carlberg
Bust Magazine
While the film doesn’t get very deep into these various court cases, it does a good job of humanizing the lawyers and the four defendants in the case. It is about real people, families and consequences.
December 9, 2014 | Rating: B
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope
This may be a relatively straightforward documentary about a lengthy legal case, but it carries such a powerful emotional kick that it forces the audience to see the bigger picture.
November 6, 2014 | Rating: 4.5/5
Rich Cline
Contactmusic.com…
Plot
After the California Supreme Court ruled in May 2008 that same-sex couples could marry, a proposition was put to voters to amend the state constitution to define marriage as being between a man and a woman. After that proposition was passed a group decided to challenge the constitutionality of the amendment. This documentary follows the efforts of the plaintiffs and lawyers over four years as the case winds its way through the courts.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The cast of The Case Against 8 includes real-life individuals such as Ted Olson, Christopher D. Dusseault, Jeffrey J. Zarrillo, Paul T. Katami, Kristin M. Perry, and Sandra B. Stier.
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