12 Angry Men (1957)
Director: Sidney Lumet
Stars: Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Martin BalsamRuntime: 96 minutes
Synopsis: A jury holdout attempts to prevent a miscarriage of justice by forcing his colleagues to reconsider the evidence.
Performances: 10/10
Screenplay: 10/10
Editing: 10/10
Cinematography: 9/10
Screenplay: 10/10
Editing: 10/10
Cinematography: 9/10
Verdict: The movie opens in a courtroom where a judge nonchalantly instructs the 12 members of a jury to decide the fate of a young man accused of murdering his father. That nonchalant attitude is still seen in the jury room, where everyone is taking that responsibility lightly, worrying instead about cracking jokes, lighting cigarettes, and get the job done quickly to get home in time for a baseball game. The verdict is clear to all of them: the kid is guilty without a reasonable doubt. A preliminary vote is conducted, which to many of them was only a formality, but to their dismay and annoyance, the 8th Juror doesn't share their enthusiasm and votes "Not Guilty" as a way to push them to discuss and question the evidence presented. Since the vote must be unanimous to pass, that is exactly what the next 90 minutes have in store for the viewers.
"12 Angry Men" is considered to be one of the best movies of all time not only because of its beautifully captured claustrophobic atmosphere, exceptional script and top-notch acting, but mostly because of its cultural significance. It's the prime example of the saying "sometimes less is more" because, despite its very simple premise and the fact that it entirely takes place in a single room, I can't think of any other movie that offers such an exceptional depiction of the flaws and injustices that come with the death penalty and even the whole concept of democracy. It shows that things aren't always as clear as they look and that a vote in the wrong direction, even if it doesn't affect the voter directly, might have devastating repercussions on other people.
I, for one, will go against the film's idea and say that, without a shadow of a doubt, believe that this Sidney Lumet production is a masterpiece that is still very relevant to this day. It's a rare instance of a movie that I believe every single person on this planet should watch at least once, even if they're usually turned off by films that are in black and white.
"12 Angry Men" is considered to be one of the best movies of all time not only because of its beautifully captured claustrophobic atmosphere, exceptional script and top-notch acting, but mostly because of its cultural significance. It's the prime example of the saying "sometimes less is more" because, despite its very simple premise and the fact that it entirely takes place in a single room, I can't think of any other movie that offers such an exceptional depiction of the flaws and injustices that come with the death penalty and even the whole concept of democracy. It shows that things aren't always as clear as they look and that a vote in the wrong direction, even if it doesn't affect the voter directly, might have devastating repercussions on other people.
I, for one, will go against the film's idea and say that, without a shadow of a doubt, believe that this Sidney Lumet production is a masterpiece that is still very relevant to this day. It's a rare instance of a movie that I believe every single person on this planet should watch at least once, even if they're usually turned off by films that are in black and white.
FINAL GRADE: 10/10
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