One of the rare gems of classic cinema.

Rating: 9/10 (31 August 2015)

12 angry men is a courtroom drama based on the premise that all defendants deserve a fair trial until proved guilty. The film is a very simplistic take on the presumption of innocence and takes place almost entirely within a small New York City court room as 12 men debate the fate of a young defendant charged with murdering his father. In the start all jurors think of the case as an open and shut case except one; Juror No. 8 played by Henry Fonda. But as they discuss the the available evidence, it turns out it is not simple as it seems to be. Most of the jurors are prejudiced and it takes the staunch effort from the character played by Fonda to induce logic and sense into the proceedings.
The film builds tension through conflict among the jurors and the dialogue. The length is only 95 minutes but it feels as if it is shot in real time. The direction and camera-work is excellent. The jurors are all well defined in terms of their personalities, occupations, prejudices and the emotional reasons behind those prejudices. All the cast members make an excellent effort into bringing these characters to life.
The movie is not about solving the crime although all the available evidence is heavily discussed, it is about the jury passing a judgment on the life of a boy. It is a take on the strength of the jury and their power to decide a man's survival and it performs this job in an excellent manner. The movie is a rare gem and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves great cinema.