Genre: Drama
Director: James Franco
Writer: Alex Conn
Based on the documentary
Cast: James Franco, Mark Rylance, Jeff Bridges, Bradley Whitford, Joan Cusack, Matt Bomer, Matthew Morrison, Cynthia Nixon, Christine Lahti, Chris Colfer, John Early
Plot: The film opens with Chad Griffin (James Franco) who is the chairman of the American Federation for Equal Rights and he is passionately discussing how Prop 8 will hurt gay Californians and all LGBT people across the nation. He describes how a message will be sent to the gay teenager in Arkansas like where he grew up if Prop 8 passes that they are second class citizens and that their government does not care about them. He then is asked about the children and he says that children are not negatively effected by gay relationships.
Chad Griffin is crying in his office while the television is saying that Proposition 8 passed in California. He sends an email to Jonathan Johnson (John Early) and Kristina Schake (Joan Cusack) and others that we need to fight this.
Chad is having dinner with his friend Jonathan who tells him that he knows Ted Olson (Jeff Bridges) and Ted Olson is in support of marriage equality and Chad is laughing hysterically and Jonathan says I’m serious and Chad e mails Ted and sets up an appointment and he accepts talking to him.
Chad takes the train to Teds office and Ted and Chad start talking and we see in Teds office that there are pictures of Republicans and him like George W Bush and Ronald Reagan and Chad asks why he is in favor of gay marriage and he says that marriage and love is really important to him and that marriage is a conservative value and it is bigoted to discriminate against same sex couples who want to get married. Ted then suggests that they ask David Boies to join the case. Olsen and Griffin they go across the street to David’s office and convinces David to do it. Chad leaves optimistic
Chad then brings the information back to his team about Ted Olson and David Boies (Mark Rylance) coming on board and everyone is celebrating.
Chad then goes back on the train and has a flashback to coming out to his family and attempting suicide.
It then cuts to Chad bringing up the idea of Ted in the fold. Chad and the rest of AFER and David and Ted look for plaintiffs. They find Kris Perry (Christine Lahti) and Sandi Steir (Cynthia Nixon), and Paul Katomi (Matthew Morrison) and Jeff Zarrillo (Matt Bomer).
Chad invites Ted to dinner with all the other attorneys and the members of the American Foundation for Equal Rights and Ted says that this is the most important case of his life.
The film then goes into a montage of Ted Olson and David Boies doing practice court questions to Jeff and Paul and Kris and Sandi. Kris and Sandi talk about their initial wedding in 2005 and how after Prop 8 they got a letter in the mail saying their marriage is invalid. Jeff and Paul talk about how they would like to have children but they won’t because they aren’t married and don’t want children now since the kids would feel discriminated against cause their parents aren’t married.
The court case happens and Olsen and Boies argue their case and Judge Walker rules in their favor. Everyone celebrates at a local diner but Ted Olsen reminds them that the case is going to have an appeal.
The 8 team brings on Chuck Cooper (Bradley Whitford) who passionately describes how Proposition 8 is constitutional and how the Californians voted and they voted to define marriage as between 1 man and one woman.
Jeff and Paul in the office have an argument on whether the case is worth it in the end. They could just accept civil unions and that could just be the end of it. Paul then convinces Jeff that the case has merit.
Ted and David have a conversation about other witnesses to bring on the stand. David brings up the idea of using a victim of gay conversion therapy to show how sexual orientation isn’t a choice and Ted agrees.
The Supreme Court case happens and Jeff is visibly shaking and Paul tells him to calm down. Kristina Schake tells Jeff that he will testify first and he will also make a statement to the press.
Jeff talks to the press and talks about how we’re all Americans who simply want to get married. Jeff testifies first and he talks about how Paul is the love of his life and how he would do anything for him and Paul audibly gasps and is in tears. We then see Kristin Schake and Chad Griffin in tears as well. We then cut to Ryan Kendall (Chris Colfer) who describes being forced by his parents to go to gay conversion therapy. He tears up and it gets a reaction by everyone. We then go to Kris Perry on the stand who describes how important the decision of this case is going to be for kids growing up in conservative parts of the country.
The Supreme Court heading ends and everyone goes to the bar and drinks heavily and Paul talks about how if there were anyone he would lay his life with it would be Ted and David.
6 months later the results of the case come in and they won and proposition 8 is ruled unconstitutional. Everyone celebrates. Kris and Sandra and Jeff and Paul go down to the courthouse to get married. Kris and Sandra are married by Kamala Harris and Jeff and Paul are married by the Governor of California.
Chad watches the two couples getting married and has a tear in his eyes and he remembers when he was a kid and how he went to school as a teenager after he came out.
The film ends with Chad Griffin tearfully explains to Ted why this is so important to him and he describes his upbringing in high school where he came out as gay and he was beaten by two school bullies and Ted hugs him and they both walk out of the restaurant.
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