Is "12 Angry Men" a GREAT or NON GREAT movie? Gentlemen of the jury, your verdict ...

Rating: 10/10 (14 March 2011)

Juror #1, the foreman (Martin Balsam, football coach): "Well, I won't be too technical, or make a long speech  it's just that it's a one-set film, so it's new and risky, because you know, dialogs are not enough, we need uh  the thrills  and it goes slowly in the beginning but progressively, it's like the jury room becomes smaller, and the faces bigger. I really felt the tense and suffocating atmosphere ... And what an explosive climax, I could hardly breathe  I know it's strange, but the direction, well, the movie is one hell of a thriller  I, well, my verdict is clear: GREAT MOVIE"
Juror #2 (John Fiedler, bank clerk): "I don't know. It's an excellent film, served by great performances. Every character was convincing, so were their interactions. I can't find any flaw, for me, there's nothing to add, and nothing to remove. It is a GREAT MOVIE"
Juror #3 (Lee J. Cobb, businessman): "I told you why this movie is great, it's just  thought provoking, everything and I mean everything looked like it would have been this kind of preachy film with a good-hearted hero and simple-minded antagonists who just want to be vindictive. But this is an intelligent film which, even at the end, makes you question if the kid is guilty or not. Because it has nothing to do with punishment, it's about justice ... without any prejudice, and that deserves respect, yes sir! No doubt for me  GREAT MOVIE"
Juror #4 (E.G. Marshall, stockbroker): "First of all, it's an excellent examination of all the subtle nuances that enrich a male adult demography, played with such believability every one could identify with one of the jurors. Secondly, the writing was intellectually gripping and emotionally engaging and I would add: respectful of the viewer's intelligence. The direction was excellent and created a feeling of growing claustrophobia guided by a very clever use of focal lenses, a credit to Sidney Lumet. Last but not least, it's about the noble concept of justice and presumption of innocence: "12 Angry Men" delivers a brilliant, intelligent, and universally inspiring message. To conclude, I can say I had the privilege to watch a GREAT MOVIE"
Juror #5 (Jack Klugman, the man from the slum): "What else to say? I second the idea that it's a powerful drama demonstrating how prejudices poison the heart of our civilization, and I believe this is one of the few films that should be screened everywhere in the world as a powerful lesson for tolerance. My verdict is: GREAT MOVIE"
Juror #6 (Edward Binns, painter): "A movie that younger and future generations should watch and respect. These are movies with no special effects, no big-star cast, no big explosions, no flashy cars and no sexy girls. You have a honest, simple movie featuring ordinary men, but the result is so impacting it should be appreciated by any movie lover, regardless of his or her age. Anyway, GREAT MOVIE"
Juror #7 (Jack Warden, salesman): "Come on, everyone is using big words and noble concepts, but for me, this movie is just damn entertaining. Hey admit it, the dialogs, the way opposite characters interact, create a lot of anxiety but is also very fun to watch, sometimes, well  I think you can say anything, but without entertainment, a film is worthless, and the movie could've been a bore, just all talk and no walk, but it wasn't, it worked for me ... GREAT MOVIE"
Juror #8 (Henry Fonda, architect): "This movie invites us to explore our convictions and question the way they influence our judgments. Justice is done by men, blindly and implacably, this is why punishment must be beyond any doubt, and when you have what appears to be an open-and-shut case that progressively reveals some flaws as we go deeper in the subject, well, this says a lot about the negative impact of subjectivity when it comes to justice, and how we should be careful about the consequences of our thoughts, our words, our acts. "12 Angry Men" is a humanistic inspiration for those who have faith in justice. GREAT MOVIE"
Juror #9 (Joseph Sweeney, retired): "This is a fantastic character study illustrating how convincingness is often driven by the personality. It's an incredible illustration of the way a few people can monopolize the talk and how a silent majority is eager to follow the ones who aggressively express their thoughts, and the courage it takes to be the lone dissenter and how using a constructive, polite and logical answer can destroy something taken for granted. While watching "12 Angry Men" I understood that a consensus, when rapidly built, means that the truth must be elsewhere. And one truth for sure, this is a GREAT MOVIE"
Juror #10 (Ed Begley, garage owner): "I hate the patronizing way some left-wing good-hearted people adore this film, this has nothing to do with politics, truth or justice, it's about manipulation of your thoughts by pushing the right emotional button  you missed the point, and that's the beauty of the film, you're all easily fooled. Not for the reasons you think, but it's a GREAT MOVIE"
Juror #11 (Joseph Voskovek, watchmaker): "No need to be American to appreciate the beauty of this film, it's about our deepest convictions. It's about the humanistic concept of reasonable doubt which can save even a guilty soul ... because life is valuable and justice is not vengeance. GREAT MOVIE"
Juror #12 (Robert Webber, advertising executive): "Wow, what I can say, it's not an exact science you know  you can find a reason A to appreciate it, a reason B or C  let's just say that the 'sigma' of these reasons, explains why it's an incredible film and as my fellow jurors said, why "12 Angry Men" is a GREAT MOVIE"