One of the best films of all time

Rating: 9/10 (5 January 2009)

This film had to have been a risk to the producers. It was a film set almost entirely in one room, I believe there were only three scenes that took place out of it. It is hard to keep the attention of an audience with such a limited set, but this limited set was made up for with excellent dialogue and an intriguing story. The story is a very intricate mystery set in a jury room. There are no flashbacks or anything to show how the crime happened, as would have been the easy route. Instead the script allows the characters to paint a picture of the crime in the minds of the viewers through outstanding dialogue. The dialogue never stops and the mystery only deepens. Through this dialogue the characters reveal themselves to be a microcosm of society. It would be a difficult thing to not see oneself in at least one of the twelve characters portrayed.
The script isn't the only thing that deserves credit, the cast brought these characters to life. Without the genuine humanity that the actors brought with them no one would have cared about the responsibility placed on the shoulders of these twelve man as to whether a man should live or whether he should die.
The camera work was also excellent. With such small confines it would seem difficult to come up with new shots, but the cameras explored just about every inch of the room.
All in all this film is a great feel good movie about the American justice system and how it should really run. And how emotions can be the difference between one man living or dying. Although I haven't seen every movie out there I believe that this is one of the best films ever made and deserves every bit of the praise that it has received over the last fifty some odd years.