Review of 12 Angry Men (1957) by Louise D — 11 Aug 2015

I love courtroom dramas, so maybe I'm naturally inclined to love this movie, but it's so different from what you'd usually expect from the genre. Essentially the movie starts with the jury being sent to deliberate and then spends the bulk of the run-time merely sitting with these 12 men as they debate the points of the case.

It's fascinating because, owing to the nature of the case, jury members end up having to do some of the arguing in place of the lawyers (who clearly were not very thorough.) In just an hour and a half with these men we get to see examples of compassion, classism, logical debate, racism, and more.

Every actor absolutely owns their part, and even the ones who speak very little have distinct personalities. I was so engrossed in the film that, despite the fact I was sitting in a cool air-conditioned room, I felt hot and sweaty just like the characters.

The case feels so open-and-shut in the beginning and we're right with the jury's early vote, but it's remarkable how we are slowly given details and you can sense your own opinion and allegiance shift over time.

I cannot express how perfect I found this film. Even when they retread issues they've already debated it feels absolutely necessary and deepens the discussion. If 12 Angry Men is a film you have not seen, and you have even a passing interest in courtroom dramas, you MUST see it as soon as possible.

This is one of the best films I've seen in years.