A well judged drama

Rating: 6/10 (5 January 2003)

Lumet's courthouse drama wears its liberal heart on its sleeve. But there's some courage too in setting the action entirely after the trial is over: we see only the deliberations of the jury, trying to make sense of the evidence. In comparison to more modern (and histrionic) attempts to anatomise the legal process (such as the absurd Murder One), the merits of this judgment shine through: less really is more. The ensemble cast is excellent, and all the characterisations are well-conceived and executed, with considerably more depth than is common in films from this era. The only real failing is that the plot goes nowhere that you don't expect it to; but that's a flaw of many films far worse than this.