Have you ever wondered how a man could win a debate in an 11 v 1 battle? If you don't believe it, just watch '12 Angry Men', a 96-minute thriller, that is waiting to blow your mind. A 1957 film, directed by Sidney Lumet, has been praised for years due to its intelligent directing, cinematography, and writing, mostly due to its limited scope. The entire movie was shot in a room that had 12 men and an oval table.
The movie starts with a judge dismissing a court session and directs the 12 jury to make a decision on a murder case. While a viewer might be left confused initially, as no specifications or introductions were given in the beginning, the movie starts to flourish as the 12 gentlemen settle in the given room. As we move forward, it is said that an 18-year-old boy allegedly murdered his father. In the very beginning, the 12 juries decide to take a vote on whether the boy is guilty or not. As per the rule, if every jury agrees on one vote, they can officially submit the verdict to the court.
Shockingly, the collective decision of the juries was pretty one-sided as 11 out of 12 voted the boy as guilty while one gentleman disagreed. This movie involves the journey of how one jury convinces every other jury to turn their votes to not guilty. A thrilling debate that doesn't let you move you from your seat for one and a half hours. In such a short time, the movie has managed to give distinctiveness to each character. The movie not only consists of debate, it portrays how humans accept defeat when they are vanquished from every side.
Astonishing features of the film -
- Characters weren't called by their names in almost 90% of the film.
- Apart from the opening scene and the climax scene, the entire movie is filmed in a room. Some shots were taken in the restroom too.
