12 Angry Men (1957)

Hollywood today needs to learn a few lessons.  Lesson #1; a movie doesn't need to be horridly complicated with a thousand set pieces and a hundred characters to be complex and gripping.  For example, 12 Angry Men had a total of 14 speaking roles, and only one real set.  Yet for all that it is tense and thrilling.

Perhaps what makes the difference is acting, another point movies today lag far behind the Hollywood of yesteryear.  Henry Fonda and Lee Cobb are the headline players in 12 Angry Men, and they perform with passion and brilliance under the direction of Sidney Lumet.  This movie is a must see if only for the fact that it is both a thriller and a character drama, one with the unique mark that we do not know the names of ANY of the characters until the final scene.

The story is amazing in its simplicity: A young man is on trial for the murder of his father, and we follow the jury as they deliberate whether he is guilty or innocent.  11 of the jurors enter the room convinced of his guilt.  One has doubts, and as he begins to explain his reservations others begin to be persuaded.  Tensions rise, collars are loosened, and fists very nearly fly as opinions and facts are discussed.

There is SO much this movie does right.  The physical temperature rises in the room as the emotional temperature also does.  The dialogue is well written, making us believe that each of the men in the room could be truly human, with their own stories and lives outside what we see on screen.  We explore the different reasons people come to the conclusions they do, whether from an unbiased (though perhaps mistaken) approach to the facts, prejudice, going along with the crowd, emotional baggage, or just plain advancing a personal agenda (in this film, the willingness to cast whatever vote gets the jury's business done soonest).  This movie will both give you confidence in America's jury system, yet at the same time give you shudders as you consider that those who decide the innocence or guilt of others are only human as well.

Of course, not everything is perfect.  The camera loves close ups here, but once or twice a close up can be inappropriately jarring.  This is particularly noticable when the old man casts his first "not guilty" vote.  Once or twice the camera focus is a bit off.  Also, I thought the acting of the nerdy juror #1 was a bit over the top. 

The imperfections are of course small potatoes.  With everything it does right, how can you dwell on the tiny flaws?  This movie will teach you about the law.  It will teach you how to argue your case.  It will teach you how to lead others and build a coalition.  It will introduce a lot of moral grey into a Hollywood world that is usually so black and white.  By they end you hope they made the right decision, but honestly we don't know whether the young man is really guilty or innocent.  The question is simply this; do you have reasonable doubt?

Entertainment value: 7/10
Artistic value: 9/10
Technical: 8/10

Overall: 9/10

Note: 12 Angry Men was just released by Criterion on bluray.  Undoubtedly this is the edition to buy, if I've convinced you to do so.  I've got an older collector's edition dvd.