12 Angry Men

12 Angry Men is one of those films I wish I was shown in history class. It's a great civics lesson on top of being a great piece of entertainment. Spouting lessons on morality, justice, and honesty. The film takes place almost entirely within the closed off space of a jury room. Essentially its the deliberation process of a jury with 12 men assess the guilt or innocence of a young kid on trial for murder.
The film stars Henry Fonda in a great performance of vulnerable sympathy. He's the only man on the jury who isn't convinced of the defendants guilt but by the end he isn't the only one. The other 11 jurors make up an incredible ensemble cast that includes a magnificent Lee J. Cobb. 12 Angry Men was the first film by now legendary director Sidney Lumet who made a name for himself over the decades by making films about controversial issues. Lumet was interested in tackling complex human subjects and giving them motives and reasons for their actions. They weren't always justifiable but nevertheless not always easy to condemn either. His films don't come off as preachy but rather as an open minded view into the life of someone you may not always agree with and 12 Angry Men was the starting point for a director who wasn't afraid to illuminate some of the darker aspects of American society.

B+

1957