Viewed in
2007
Premise
The twelve members of a jury must decide if the defendant is guilty or not.
Who should watch
Film buffs.
Thoughts
A well made film that succeeded at making twelve people talking in a single room exciting. I liked how the filmmakers made all twelve characters distinct without resorting to caricatures. As each actor got their share of the spotlight, the truths of each character and the case are unraveled. The coolest scene was when the others used their silence to quiet a bigoted man.
The film was educational as well as dramatic. Many characters explored and gave great speeches about the jury experience, and the amazing burden and privilege we Americans have with our justice system.
My only problem was that it became more of a detective story, as the jurors questioned and examined each evidence. Even though I have only been on one jury so far, how the characters treated evidence was not the way real jurors treated evidence. With the great dialogue, writing, and acting, the film would have been just as riveting without the sleuthing.
What I would change
Made the plot a bit more realistic.
