12 Angry Men [1997] (DVD)

Synopsis: 12 men on a jury are faced with the task of trialing a youth offender, they all agree guilty except one man shows how the minority can convince the majority. 12 Angry Men was my first insight into Lumet's work and since then has remained my favourite (followed closely by Dog Day Afternoon and Network), his debut film of courtroom drama is a masterclass and no better example of powerhouse acting and smart performances. Filled with sudden twists, random mood swings and passionate monologues every one of the 12 men on that Jury gave one of their best performances of their career, matched with some fine directing and a brilliant script 12 Angry Men has ...  Read the complete review

12 Angry Men, is one of those films were nothing really happens, but it still makes compulsive viewing. This review is of the 1997 remake, rather than the 1957 original, although the remake is set in the same time period. The film starts when the judge is a murder trial sends the 12 jurors off the deliberate. They immediately do a preliminary vote, and all except one vote guilty. The only one who doesn't agree is Juror number 8, who is played by Jack Lemmon . He believes that the trial should be discussed and it's not right to send a young man to his possible death, without at least discussing the possibility that he might be innocent first. ...  Read the complete review

12 Angry Men is widely touted as legendary director Sidney Lumet's (who also helmed the likes of Dog Day Afternoon, The Verdict and Network) masterpiece. It is a classic story that has been parodied and imitated in numerous media forms, from child cartoons to a recent foreign language remake simply entitled 12. It is also revolutionary for being among the very few films that almost entirely (for 99% of the film's run time) takes place in a single room. The film depicts a jury that deliberate over the life of a young man who has supposedly committed murder. The jury work under the mantra of trying to establish reasonable doubt, and of course, the verdict the ...  Read the complete review

This classic 1957 film starring Henry Fonda, has to be one of my favourite films for several reasons. Firstly it is a sign of masterful film making and directing by Sidney Lumet that such an engrossing, suspenseful and excellent film can be produced when almost every scene is filmed in one single room. The story revolves around a young boy who is on trial for murder, and the story focuses on a jury deciding on the boy's fate. At the outset the jury seem pretty decided on a guilty verdict, all except for one man (played by Henry Fonda) who votes not guilty. Throughout the film he slowly shows the holes in the prosecutions arguments, and highlights the ...  Read the complete review