Reasonable doubt

Rating: 10/10 (14 August 2007)

"12 Angry Men" is about a jury of 12 men voting on a death sentence case. Eleven of the men see it as an open and shut case with a clear verdict of guilty. However, one of the men thinks there is reasonable doubt.
The majority of the film takes place in the deliberation room with the 12 men discussing the case. Even though the film takes place mostly in this single room and is singularly focused on the 12 men discussing the case, the film is never tedious. On the contrary, while a lot of films have slower moments, this one is gripping from start to finish.
Each of the 12 performances is strong and each of the 12 jurors' characters is well-developed and adds to the film. Henry Fonda is inspiring as the one man who believes there is cause for reasonable doubt. "12 Angry Men" is a triumph of minimalist filming and highly recommended.