12 in a Box
{{Short description|2007 British independent comedy film}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2016}}
{{Infobox film
| name = 12 in a Box
| image = 12_in_a_Box.jpg
| caption = Film poster
| director = John McKenzie
| producer = Bruce Windwood
| writer = John McKenzie
| starring = Kenneth Collard
Miranda Hart
Belle Hithersay
Anjella Mackintosh
Glynne Steele
Katy Wix
| studio = Masses Entertainment
| distributor = Cinevolve
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|2007|09||Zurich}}
| runtime = 93 minutes
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
}}
12 in a Box is a 2007 British independent comedy film written and directed by John McKenzie.{{cite web|last=Adams|first=Mark|url=http://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-latest/12-in-a-box/5053456.article|title=12 In A Box|date=25 March 2013|website=Screendaily.com|publisher=Media Business Insight|location=London, United Kingdom|accessdate=25 December 2014}} The film premiered at the 2007 Zurich Film Festival.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2007/film/news/zurich-film-festival-highlights-1117972290/|title=Zurich Film Festival: Highlights|date=20 September 2007|publisher=|accessdate=6 July 2020}}
Plot
12 in a Box sees twelve people attend what they think is a school reunion lunch but when they get there they discover that, as part of the last wish of a dead classmate, they will inherit £1,000,000 each if they can all stay together in the house for 96 hours.{{cite web|last=La Piet|first=Carla|url=http://thefilmreview.com/reviews/comedy/12-box-review.html|title=12 In A Box–Review|date=26 February 2013|website=Thefilmreview.com|accessdate=14 November 2014}} With one of the participants due to be married and another dropping stone dead on the first day, they have their work cut out to go the distance.{{cite news|last=Russell|first=Melissa|url=http://www.campuscircle.com/review.cfm?r=9214|title=12 in a Box|date=6 August 2009|newspaper=Campus Circle|location=Los Angeles, United States|accessdate=14 November 2014}}
Release
The film was given a limited European release in 2007{{citation needed|date=November 2014}} and had its US premiere in Boston in 2009.{{citation needed|date=November 2014}} Despite being a British film with some notable names in the cast, it was not released in the UK until March 2013.{{cite web|last=Kelly|first=Stephen|url=http://www.totalfilm.com/reviews/cinema/12-in-a-box|title=12 In A Box: A cynical cash-in on Miranda Hart's current comic success|date=18 March 2013|website=TotalFilm.com|publisher=Future Publishing|location=Bath, Somerset, United Kingdom|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515214819/http://www.totalfilm.com/reviews/cinema/12-in-a-box|archivedate=15 May 2013|accessdate=25 December 2014}}
The DVD was released in 2013{{cite web|last=Nicholson|first=Ben|url=http://www.cine-vue.com/2013/03/film-review-12-in-box.html|title=DVD Review: '12 in a Box'|date=March 2013|website=Cine-vue.com|accessdate=25 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129031724/http://www.cine-vue.com/2013/03/film-review-12-in-box.html|archive-date=29 November 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} marketed under Miranda Hart's name due to her recent fame. However, Hart only makes a brief appearance, her screen time totalling 5 minutes.
Critical response
The film received the Audience Award at the 2007 Zurich Film Festival,{{cite web|author=|url=http://www.massesentertainment.com/news.html|title='Twelve In A Box'wins the Audience Award at the 2007 Zurich Film Festival|website=MassessEntertainment.com|accessdate=14 November 2014}} Indie Spirit Best Storyline Award at the 2009 Boston International Film Festival{{cite web|author=|url=http://www.bifilmfestival.com/biffpress.html|title=BIFF 2009 Award Winners|date=26 April 2009|publisher=Boston International Film Festival|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100107063421/http://www.bifilmfestival.com/biffpress.html|archivedate=7 January 2010|url-status=dead|accessdate=14 November 2014}} and the Best Film Award at the 2009 LA British Film Festival.{{citation needed|date=November 2014}} The LA Campus Circle graded the film A− and called it "smart, funny and surprising without being pretentious or hackneyed. There are few dull moments, and it actually succeeds in pulling off the twists." The film was also praised by The Film Review and CineVue. The Guardian, however, gave it a poor review,{{cite news|last=McCahill|first=Mike|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/mar/21/12-in-a-box-review|title=12 in a Box–review|date=21 March 2013|newspaper=The Guardian|location=London, United Kingdom|accessdate=25 December 2014}} as did the Radio Times{{cite web|last=Parkinson|first=David|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/film/vx26k/12-in-a-box|title=12 in a Box|website=RadioTimes.com|publisher=Immediate Media Company|accessdate=25 December 2014}} and the Daily Express.{{cite web|last=Hunter|first=Allan|url=http://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/films/387883/In-a-Box-Review-and-Trailer|title=In a Box: Review and Trailer|date=29 March 2013|website=Express.co.uk|publisher=Northern and Shell Media|accessdate=25 December 2014}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.twelveinabox.com}}
- {{IMDb title|1120889|12 in a Box}}