Plot Summary – A dissenting juror in a murder trial slowly manages to convince the others that the case is not as obviously clear as it seemed in court.

★★★★★ 

Watched 07 Feb, 2021

Famous economist Paul Samuelson (yes, not Keynes) once said “As the facts change, I change my mind.” and I think that’s extremely resonant throughout this film. This is the best film I’ve ever watched. It’s not my favourite but definitely the best. I can’t think of a single flaw in this film. A film which almost entirely takes place shouldn’t be this good. But 12 Angry men is not only good, it’s the best. The cinematography is so good, it starts with most shots being from the top-looking-down and as the jurors side with Henry Fonda’s character more and more the camera moves to the bottom-looking-up. It’s brilliant how much attention to detail has been put into each frame. Lumet doesn’t allow a single shot to stagnate, there’s constant movement, there isn’t a single inch of film wasted as something or the other is always chewing the background. Reactions are in real-time rather than in a cut-away, shocking moments are experienced collectively rather than in a person-by-person approach a lesser director would take. The acting is simply phenomenal, especially Henry Fonda and Lee J Cobb who give some of the best performances in cinema history. We see the underlying message that in the end, all humans act out of past experience and prejudice rather than logic and reasoning by default and that’s a haunting thought. But it’s made more haunting by the fact that there is a parallel between each character’s profession and their decision in the end because that makes us think whether our morals are pre-decided or will we be convinced as the facts change. The amount of questions this film raises on human nature is jaw-dropping and the fact that it doesn’t feel dated almost 64 years later is a testament to the greatness of this film. I can recommend this anyone with ease. Watch it. It is the best film I have ever watched.