- Sensibility: Some of the choreography and character movements feel a bit unnatural or too intentional, but otherwise this film and story are extremely sensible.
- Cinematography: It's amazing how good black and white can look. Lighting work is incredible and the costuming and makeup work are brilliant, conveying the heat of the room in parallel with the heat of the narrative. Also a few series of quick cut shots around the jury room are excellent.
- Energy: Strong balance between the highs and lows, but there are a few moments that feel like unnecessary breaks in the action. These moments feel a touch too theatrical.
- Narrative: Incredibly prescient story about race, judgement, and justice which is still important and relevant today. Rare that a film can have so much to say from a single room. Only thing that is a bit awkward is the way that the characters progress their arguments. It feels like the evidence would have come up for argument more quickly than it did in the room.
- T-Points: The film received four bonus points: one for a great shot passing the secret ballot, one for a bathroom towel dispenser, one for a series of shots of hands raising in vote, and one for a great sequence for the last stand from juror 3.
It's almost sad watching how beatiful a film can be in black and white when there are so many ugly films in color now. It's almost like the restrictions technologically forced more creativity and vision from the camera work and lighting. Now, in the age
of infinite digital possibilities, we are somehow left with less creative work, not more. This film is a shining example of how older does not mean worse.
Number of Watches: 1
