Angry for another reason

Rating: 10/10 (14 April 2012)

Twelve angry men. Anger is the appropriate response to injustice and violence; the anger of the law in this case means the defendant will be executed. But each juror at the start of the movie is angry for a wrong reason. Even juror number 8 (Fonda) votes "not guilty" not because he has a reasonable doubt but because he is offended by the haste of the other jurors. Tempers cool as each juror changes his verdict, until only one angry man is left.
One of the great pieces of cinema, 12 Angry Men is art that offers to be studied, discussed and interpreted rather than reviewed. Though understated (what one juror terms a "soft sell") it is powerful, thought-provoking and never dull. It finally demonstrates that in film, as in theatre, story and character are central, while action, setting and special effects are extraneous.
That is to say, see it. It may change you.