Very simple, yet very brilliant

Rating: Null/10 (27 August 1999)

"12 Angry Men" is one of my few very favorite classic films. It has a great dialogue, especially the arguments between #3 (Lee J. Cobb) and #8 (Henry Fonda). The setting might be a bit atrocious, but the atmosphere and the tension between the men make up for the droll backdrop. Cobb has probably the best role there, because he really fights for his right to accuse the defendent of guilty and to shove the young punk into the electric chair, while Fonda also does great as he struggles to convince everyone else to find the reasonable doubt for the defendent. The direction of the movie is excellent to compare with the performances. It's very tight, yet it adds to the gloomy atmosphere inside a humid jury room. Put simply, "12 Angry Men" should have won best picture '57 all the way. A lot of people would agree with me.