6/10, a hung jury

Rating: 6/10 (2 July 2019)

It feels like a stage play adapted for screen, an interesting story told in real time, with little more than a boardroom setting. A jury debate the fate of a young man accused of murdering his father. It looks to be a cut and dry guilty verdict, but the vote returned, 11-1, is not unanimous, and the lone voice in favour of 'not guilty' spends the rest of the film convincing the others he is right. It highlights the complexities and serendipity of the justice system (in particular the death sentence), and the personal sentiments clouding decisions, and for such a mundane setting, the case remains compelling. Unfortunately it is very contrived. The jury, who have no training in law, appear to make a better case in an hour and a half than the lawyers did in many days. We are supposed to believe its because the lawyers weren't interested in the case. Right. The real answer is because we wouldn't have a movie if they did. Further, one of the jurors breaks conduct by introducing a piece of evidence not presented in court, which should have resulted in a mistrial.