12 in a Box is a 2007 British independent comedy film written and directed by John McKenzie.[1] The film premiered at the 2007 Zurich Film Festival.[2]

12 in a Box
Film poster
Directed byJohn McKenzie
Written byJohn McKenzie
Produced byBruce Windwood
StarringKenneth Collard
Miranda Hart
Belle Hithersay
Anjella Mackintosh
Glynne Steele
Katy Wix
Production
company
Masses Entertainment
Distributed byCinevolve
Release date
  • September 2007 (2007-09) (Zurich)
Running time
93 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Plot

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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.[3] 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.[1][4]

Release

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The film was given a limited European release in 2007[citation needed] and had its US premiere in Boston in 2009.[citation needed] Despite being a British film with some notable names in the cast, it was not released in the UK until March 2013.[5][6]

The DVD was released in 2013[7] marketed under Miranda Hart's name due to her recent fame.[1] However, Hart only makes a brief appearance, her screen time totalling 5 minutes.[3][5][6]

Critical response

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The film received the Audience Award at the 2007 Zurich Film Festival,[8] Indie Spirit Best Storyline Award at the 2009 Boston International Film Festival[9] and the Best Film Award at the 2009 LA British Film Festival.[citation needed] 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."[4] The film was also praised by The Film Review[3] and CineVue.[7] The Guardian, however, gave it a poor review,[5] as did the Radio Times[10] and the Daily Express.[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Adams, Mark (25 March 2013). "12 In A Box". Screendaily.com. London, United Kingdom: Media Business Insight. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  2. ^ "Zurich Film Festival: Highlights". 20 September 2007. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  3. ^ a b c La Piet, Carla (26 February 2013). "12 In A Box–Review". Thefilmreview.com. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  4. ^ a b Russell, Melissa (6 August 2009). "12 in a Box". Campus Circle. Los Angeles, United States. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  5. ^ a b c McCahill, Mike (21 March 2013). "12 in a Box–review". The Guardian. London, United Kingdom. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  6. ^ a b Kelly, Stephen (18 March 2013). "12 In A Box: A cynical cash-in on Miranda Hart's current comic success". TotalFilm.com. Bath, Somerset, United Kingdom: Future Publishing. Archived from the original on 15 May 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  7. ^ a b Nicholson, Ben (March 2013). "DVD Review: '12 in a Box'". Cine-vue.com. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  8. ^ "'Twelve In A Box'wins the Audience Award at the 2007 Zurich Film Festival". MassessEntertainment.com. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  9. ^ "BIFF 2009 Award Winners". Boston International Film Festival. 26 April 2009. Archived from the original on 7 January 2010. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  10. ^ Parkinson, David. "12 in a Box". RadioTimes.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  11. ^ Hunter, Allan (29 March 2013). "In a Box: Review and Trailer". Express.co.uk. Northern and Shell Media. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
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