Unsurpassed Character Study & Very Good Drama

Rating: Null/10 (27 September 2004)

The unsurpassed character studies of the "12 Angry Men" would almost make a movie worth seeing even if it had little else to offer. This is also a very good drama that uses everything it has to good advantage. The cast and director Sidney Lumet all do a fine job of sketching each character efficiently and memorably. Every character is important, and almost every line serves a purpose.
One interesting thing about the story is that the trial per se is almost not even particularly important. The jury setting is really just a stylized way of high-lighting many aspects of human nature and human interaction, and in particular, the varied ways that different persons respond in situations where their options are limited. The characters have a wide and well-chosen diversity of personalities and opinions, and each one's temperament and attitudes are developed as things proceed.
In performing this kind of material, it's important for the actors not to overdo it, or else the believability suffers. It's also a challenge to keep things interesting when the settings and props are so limited. But everything works very well here, and it is a credit to everyone involved.