Review of 12 Angry Men (1957) by Ernesto J. M — 19 Jul 2014

(Sorry for my bad english) All the film takes place in one little room (showing us how the power of a movie resides in the script, more than in the screen) There is no trial on screen, just the jury´s discussions about the murder. And the life of the accused is in their hands. They can send him to his own death, or they can think about it. That is when the "reasonable doubt" appears, which looks like to me one of the best thoughts of film history (and of human life itself) the inherent need of questioning everything, at every moment. That´s why Juror #8 (Henry Fonda) is one of the greatest heroes I have ever seen, just because he prefers to make questions when the other people anticipates answers (these answers dont need to be wrong, that is the cause of the discussions in the film) Maybe the accused was guilty. Maybe. But, as you start seeing the reaction of the jury at the facts, you can maybe ask yourself: Is relevant?

A meticulous, human and tense movie (and in the technical section, is visually strategic).