12 Angry Men
The jury in a New York City murder trial is frustrated by a single member whose skeptical caution forces them to more carefully consider the evidence before jumping to a hasty verdict.
Directed by Sidney Lumet · Crime · Drama · 96 min · 1957
Trailer
Director
Sidney Lumet
Studio
Orion-Nova Productions
Release
10 Apr 1957
Runtime
96 min
Genres
Crime, Drama
Full Plot
The defense and the prosecution have rested, and the jury is filing into the jury room to decide if a young man is guilty or innocent of murdering his father. What begins as an open-and-shut case of murder soon becomes a detective story that presents a succession of clues creating doubt, and a mini-drama of each of the jurors' prejudices and preconceptions about the trial, the accused, AND each other. Based on the play, all of the action takes place on the stage of the jury room.
Cast & Characters
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $397,751, 12 Angry Men has grossed $4.4M worldwide — about 11.0x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
The film was a box office disappointment in the US but did better internationally.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
Reginald Rose's screenplay for 12 Angry Men, titled Twelve Angry Men, was initially produced for television and was inspired by a jury summons.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
Critical Assessment
12 Angry Men holds 9.0/10 on IMDb (981,488 votes), 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, 97/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of August 3, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (9.0/10 on IMDb (981,488 votes), 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, 97/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 12 Angry Men's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
12 Angry Men holds a 100% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is 12 Angry Men's IMDb rating?+
12 Angry Men has a 9.0/10 rating on IMDb from 981,488 votes.
What is 12 Angry Men's Metacritic score?+
12 Angry Men has a Metascore of 97/100 on Metacritic.
Is 12 Angry Men good? What are critics saying?+
12 Angry Men holds 9.0/10 on IMDb (981,488 votes), 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, 97/100 on Metacritic.
How long is 12 Angry Men?+
12 Angry Men has a runtime of 96 min.
Who directed 12 Angry Men?+
12 Angry Men was directed by Sidney Lumet.
Where can I watch 12 Angry Men?+
12 Angry Men is available to stream, rent, or buy on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, MGM Plus Amazon Channel, Rakuten TV, Sky Store.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The public reaction to "12 Angry Men" is largely positive, with many critics praising its script, direction, and performances. Reviewers suggest that the film is a classic that has stood the test of time, with some describing it as a masterpiece of filmmaking.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
Master piece. Fantastic script and evolution of the characters.
Andres Gomez · 10/10Unlikely, but it is possible. 12 Angry Men is directed by Sidney Lumet and adapted from a teleplay of the same name by Reginald Rose. The cast is headed by Henry Fonda and Lee J. Cobb. The film tells the story of a jury made up of 12 men as they deliberate the guilt or innocence…
John Chard · 9/10Jurors: Martin Balsam John Fiedler Lee J. Cobb E.G. Marshall Jack Klugman Edward Binns Jack Warden Henry Fonda Joseph Sweeney Ed Begley George Voskovec Robert Webber 12 jurors deliberate on the guilt or innocence of a young Spanish-American man accused of murdering his father. As…
barrymost · 10/10A timeless classic in which the characters really come to life. Slowly exposing each man's thoughts, personalities and prejudices, ‘12 Angry Men’ isn't really about solving the crime, but about the power of reasoning, discussion and dialogue. 9/10
AstroNoud · 9/10Unassuming. This is the first impression one may have, upon reading what this movie is about: 12 jurors deliberate about a murder case, where the accused suspect is the victim's son, a 18 y.o. boy. They must reach a unanimous verdict of guilty or innocent. As it starts, it seems…
Krakatoa69 · 10/10Twelve jurors are sent to their deliberating room after hearing the evidence in a murder trial. It's potentially the hottest day of the year as this collection of white, male, individuals take their seats around the table and wait for foreman Martin Balsam - none of the character…
CinemaSerf · 8/10**A very well-made film, with great actors.** As a non-American myself, it's a little tricky for me to understand how well this justice system works. Don't get me wrong, but in my country it is not usual to resort to this type of trials, where the decision depends largely on the…
Filipe Manuel Neto · 10/10.
James · 8/10
From the trailer's comments
That scene with the two knives was great, Im glad I didnt see this trailer before watching the movie
@NanenMauricio · 1032 likesMan, I am 36 and just discovered this gem, my brother in law recommended this to me saying that it's in his top top list of all time.
@avenpace · 630 likesQuite simply, a masterpiece of filmmaking. Lumet's directorial debut. A wish list of seasoned actors. A provocative script. Cinephiles take note of the varying camera angles.
@jamesdrynan · 365 likesThis movie perfectly shows human negligent towards other people. One person’s life can mean nothing to another one. The movie emphasises how reasoning is important in any situation and sometimes things are not as they seem to be on the surface.
@Muslima_Muzaffar · 87 likesSaw it once. It was a very good movie. Show what precarious and stereotyping is like. It take one person to see pass that in order change a stranger life. Good acting, good dialogue and good use of reasoning.
@teax25 · 568 likesTotally underrated classic. I show it regularly to my high school students in the psychology class because of the depictions of group processes here (group think, conformity etc.)
@ezghthrt7733 · 175 likesThis film should be a required viewing for High School students.
@machonsote918 · 37 likes_12 Angry Men_ is the definition of a perfect cinema. To keep the movie interesting for its audience during its entirety was commendable, given the script of it. Topnotch direction & acting and the list goes on... It's only obvious why this film continues to impress people to thi…
@prathameshbhambure · 267 likes
