Stunning

Rating: 10/10 (9 June 2010)

This is one of the best films I have ever had the good fortune of watching. A jury is nearly convinced that the accused is guilty. One man stands against the rest and argues that he may not be. In the 90 minutes that follow, this goes into these twelve individuals, and we see how peer pressure and personal prejudices can sway decisions that ought not to be taken lightly. This is a masterpiece, and it is so on account of all the elements being carefully crafted, each excellent on their own, and the mix of them all being so seamless. Every character(they are the focus of this, if the well thought out case itself does get a lot of attention as well) and the script is well-written, developed impeccably and credible. This is quite realistic, and what flaws there are were possibly conscious decisions for the dramatic effect(it is not a documentary, nor was it meant to be), and do not take away from the whole. The acting is perfect for all concerned. This is carried by dialog and marvelous speeches, with no flashbacks and essentially only one setting(albeit the cinematography makes full use of it, so no claustrophobia is induced). The camera stays on the people, follows them, remains on them for reactions when someone else suddenly speaks, and there are long takes. Editing is impossibly subtle. You forget that it's a movie. Instead, you find yourself experiencing this tense situation with them. A dozen men in a locked room, determining if someone lives or dies. This raises questions about the legal system, as well. Other than Serpico, I haven't seen anything by Lumet, but Dog Day Afternoon is on my list of ones to get. There is some mildly disturbing content and a few instances of moderate language in this. The DVD comes with the original trailer. I recommend this to everyone. 10/10