An excellently made courtroom drama

Rating: 10/10 (4 July 2001)

I'm not a fan of old movies, but this film was very compelling and excellenly directed. Unlike other legal dramas, the entire film takes place in the juror room. The beginning of the movie starts out with the jurors leaving to deliberate, and a single shot of the man whose fate they have to decide on. I normally would have been bored with a film that takes place in a single setting, but the director does an incredible job of presenting the different characters, and brings a lot of personality to every one. The viewer begins to understand each of the jurors as the movie progresses, and their reasonings for their verdict.
The other great thing about this filmn, is that none of the facts of the case are presented in the court, and all of the knowledge the viewer has about the case come from the jurors. As they present their arguments, we begin to learn more about what might or might not have happened. At the end of the film, we still don't know what actually happened, which shows that the movie isn't about whether or not the man is guilty or not, but the reasoning and logic that produces the final verdict given by the jurors. The tension in the jury room is amazing and you find yourself siding with certain jurors, almost as if you were actually in the room.