A True Classic

Rating: 10/10 (16 July 2017)

12 Angry Men is a gripping drama where we meet our titular characters and these men must decide the fate of a young man who has allegedly committed murder. Almost the entire film is located inside a hot, small jury room where the men quickly agree to take a vote before any discussion as a jury. All of the men vote guilty except for one who is played by Henry Fonda. Throughout the course of the film, Henry Fonda's character attempts to explain to his fellow jurors why he stands against them.
The film's minimal location use allows it to focus entirely on the characters and the actors' performances. Even though none of the characters are given an actual name to identify them with until the end of the film, we get a good idea of what type of person each man is. There are small scenes that reveal the backstories of each of the jurors and the personalities of the men are quickly established once the debating starts. The heart and soul of the film lies in its ability to show how these very different men can come together or clash. The characters feel very natural and all the actors in the film do a good to great job performing their roles with standout performances by Henry Fonda and Lee J. Cobb.
This is a must watch if you're at all interested in great characters, acting, and writing.