POSITIVES:
1) The performances are terrific. Fonda and Cobb lead the line tremendously of course, but really every single one of the jurors is perfectly cast 2) The writing is just sensational. Each one of the juror's feels like a fully fleshed out character, meaning you're never confused about who is who or about what motivations everybody has. Also, the way in which the narrative unfolds is truly remarkable because it's so engaging yet also feels so real. As the audience we see nothing of the actual trial or of the actual crime itself, we learn everything purely from what the juror's tell us, yet we never feel lost or confused because everything is presented so clearly, whilst also peeling back the layers of the different pieces of evidence in a very believable way 3) In this modern age of massively inflated film budgets, looking back to this film and taking lessons from it is something that I think could be really valuable. The film basically all takes place in one room with basically only 12 characters and is a tight 90 minutes long. It is the perfect example of the phrase "less is more"
NEGATIVES:
Honestly, there is nothing I'd change about this film. It's a timeless classic and an amazing achievement for all involved. It has themes like racism and classism which are still extremely potent to a modern audience, so I'd urge anyone who hasn't seen it yet to definitely do so.
1) The performances are terrific. Fonda and Cobb lead the line tremendously of course, but really every single one of the jurors is perfectly cast 2) The writing is just sensational. Each one of the juror's feels like a fully fleshed out character, meaning you're never confused about who is who or about what motivations everybody has. Also, the way in which the narrative unfolds is truly remarkable because it's so engaging yet also feels so real. As the audience we see nothing of the actual trial or of the actual crime itself, we learn everything purely from what the juror's tell us, yet we never feel lost or confused because everything is presented so clearly, whilst also peeling back the layers of the different pieces of evidence in a very believable way 3) In this modern age of massively inflated film budgets, looking back to this film and taking lessons from it is something that I think could be really valuable. The film basically all takes place in one room with basically only 12 characters and is a tight 90 minutes long. It is the perfect example of the phrase "less is more"
NEGATIVES:
Honestly, there is nothing I'd change about this film. It's a timeless classic and an amazing achievement for all involved. It has themes like racism and classism which are still extremely potent to a modern audience, so I'd urge anyone who hasn't seen it yet to definitely do so.