You're not really going to kill me are you?

Rating: 9/10 (17 June 2008)

This is one of those great films that, at the time it is made, tackles a difficult subject, but does so in such a way that it becomes that subject's definitive movie reference point.
The story focuses on a young boy who is charged with murdering his father. Given a public defender as he cannot afford legal counsel, the case seems to be open and shut. He didn't know the films he saw on the night he was supposed to be at the pictures, he had bought the knife that was similar to the one that killed his father, he was experienced in using a knife and 2 witnesses saw him kill his father and flee the scene. Chances of mistakes, well, let's face it none. He'll be found guilty and as it is murder he will go to the electric chair.
In Sidney Lumet's supreme drama 12 men hold the fate of this boy in their hands and within a claustrophobic room on a hot summers day the discussions that take place are more gripping than a hell of a lot of bland action films who rely on special effects rather then script, storytelling or performance. The acting within this drama is superb and Henry Fonda is magic as Juror number 8 who has some doubt as to the guilt of the accused. Everyone in the room is superb in their role, with a special nod to Jack Klugman as the guy from a poor background who knows the kind of area the kid comes from, Joseph Sweeney as the shrewd eyed Juror number 9 is also fantastic, but for me E.G.Marshall and Lee J. Cobb (Arguably the most underrated American character actor) are magnificent in their roles as Juror's 4 and 3, the clever juror who takes careful consideration of the evidence and Lee J, consumed by anger over his own child's independence and taking that out in the jury room.
It is a fine film that has stayed the test of time that, although some of our current generation may find stagy and un-dynamic, is still as appealing as ever for a generation who enjoy having the cinema do some thinking with them about our world, and not necessarily for them.