12 Angry Men
A principled juror challenges a seemingly certain murder verdict, forcing eleven colleagues to examine the evidence and their own prejudices.
Overview
A gripping courtroom drama that unravels the complexities of justice and human nature.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- claustrophobic
- tense
- serious
- classic film night
- film study
What critics said
Critics broadly regard it as a taut, compelling, exceptionally well-acted chamber drama with a powerful script and lasting social impact.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Nearly all of the action unfolds inside the jury room as twelve men deliberate a capital murder case.
The jurors repeatedly confront prejudices and preconceptions about the accused, witnesses, and one another.
The succession of clues and changing votes create tension through argument rather than physical action.
The jury must decide whether uncertainty is sufficient to avoid condemning a young man to death.
Films like 12 Angry Men, and why
The Ox-Bow Incident
shared claustrophobic huis-clos drama, moral debate, and escalating interpersonal tension
Anatomy of a Murder
shared courtroom-centered moral inquiry, procedural suspense, and prejudice under scrutiny
The Verdict
shared single-location pressure cooker structure, ensemble conflict, and ethical confrontation
To Kill a Mockingbird
shared trial drama, institutional critique, and a principled protagonist challenging consensus
Movie Details
- Director
- Sidney Lumet
- Release Date
- 1957-04-10
- Runtime
- 97 min
- Rating
- 8.6 / 10 (10419)
Cast
- Martin Balsam
- John Fiedler
- Lee J. Cobb
- E.G. Marshall
- Jack Klugman
- Edward Binns
- Jack Warden
- Henry Fonda
- Joseph Sweeney
- Ed Begley
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Hulu, fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is 12 Angry Men about?
- A principled juror challenges a seemingly certain murder verdict, forcing eleven colleagues to examine the evidence and their own prejudices.
- What is 12 Angry Men like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of 12 Angry Men as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is 12 Angry Men violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in 12 Angry Men as mild.
- What did critics think of 12 Angry Men?
- Critics broadly regard it as a taut, compelling, exceptionally well-acted chamber drama with a powerful script and lasting social impact.
- Which films are like 12 Angry Men?
- Films with a similar feel include The Ox-Bow Incident, Anatomy of a Murder, The Verdict, and To Kill a Mockingbird.
- How long is 12 Angry Men?
- 12 Angry Men runs 97 minutes.
- Where can I watch 12 Angry Men?
- In United States, 12 Angry Men streams on Hulu, fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus.
