1957 / Sidney Lumet > An incredible cast led by the late Henry Fonda is undoubtedly the best reason to watch the original 12 Angry Men, a film that may feel outdated on the basis of its arguments. Similar to Rififi, it’s interesting to see screenwriter Reginald Rose’s systematic dissection of a jury’s decision-making process in the days before television shows like CSI and Law & Order. The point is not the final answer, but rather how things come to be. But for 12 Angry Men, it just feels a little too easy. It’s almost successful, conversely, as a tightly packed social commentary under the veil of a drama, but feels like it misses its target due to a storyline that seems contrived for the protagonist’s obvious benefit.