12 Years a Slave Reviews

With many fine actors, a remarkable subject matter and the number of accolades it received, '12 Years a Slave' was watched by me with high expectations.

For me, '12 Years a Slave' is not quite as good as the hype and isn't one of my favourite Best Picture winners. It could have been truly extraordinary, but it wasn't quite despite having individual elements that were that adjective. Can see though why it has been so well received, while also seeing where those who didn't like it are coming from in their reservations (though not sharing the vitriolic way they've been expressed by some). It may not be perfect, but from personal opinion, and quite a big number of others, it was tremendously powerful and very brave,

'12 Years A Slave' may have some one-sided and conveniently black and white characterisation. It may not say anything new about the subject.

Some of the cast, like Paul Giamatti and Benedict Cumberbatch (though they are excellent still), are underused. And Brad Pitt and his dialogue did feel out of place and the dialogue additionally coming over as heavy-handed.

On the other hand, to tell the story from the viewpoint of the enslaved was a brave decision in an industry where few films have done it, and it comes over very well on the whole. The treatment of the slaves is not for the faint-hearted, they are shockingly harrowing and not comfortable to watch but they don't feel that gratuitous. There are some emotionally devastating moments, such as the ending and the long shot of Northup singing.

Steve McQueen was the right director for the film, a film that needed to be told in a brutal and honest way and being a director with that directing style McQueen brings that out perfectly in a bravura directing job. '12 Years a Slave' is very impressive visually and technically, and Hans Zimmer's score is suitably stirring.

John Ridley's script adapts Northup's memoir with tautness, honesty and sincerity, not subtly mind you but it's not a subtle subject. It only falters with Pitt's dialogue.

The acting is superb, with Chiwetel Ejiofor's powerfully restrained and sincere performance wholly deserving of its acclaim. Lupita N'Yong'o, very moving, and Michael Fassbender, at his most frightening, are more than up to his level, as are Sarah Paulson and Paul Dano.

Overall, extraordinary it isn't but an emotionally impactful film it certainly is. 8/10 Bethany Cox

What's the most unpleasant drama you've ever seen? Is it 'Passion of the Christ' or something like that? For now, mine would be '12 Years A Slave', the Oscar winning movie of 2013. '12 Years A Slave' features bad torture such as whipping and hanging. This movie heavily focuses on racism in the 19th century as African-American Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is kidnapped and sold into slavery for twelve years (hence the title). Before kidnapping, Solomon had a life as a violonist living with his wife and children in New York. That's why, "I don't want to survive, I want to live!" is a great line in the film.

Chiwetel Ejiofor delivers an amazing performance as Northup. He deserves his BAFTA. I have not seen 'Dallas Buyers Club' yet but I will decide whether the Oscar and Golden Globe deserved to go to Matthew McConaghuey or if Chiwetel Ejiofor should've won instead.

What a great movie! Dark, racist and very unpleasant, but also amazing. Forget 'Captain Phillips', '12 Years A Slave' is the new king of 2013 cinema!

12 Years A Slave is what I would call a modern masterpiece.
This heartbreaking movie tells the story about the darkest page of the US's history and about degraded people fighting for their freedom and a decent life.
Still, people never cease to fight for the true happiness. Somewhere in our "civilized" world today, in Ukraine, Egypt, Turkey, Thailand etc. people are consistently fighting for justice, democracy and identity.

"I don't want to survive. I want to live."

12 Years a Slave carries the Oscar-friendly "based on a true story" label, as it tells the devastating real tale of Solomon Northup, a free African American who was kidnapped and sold into slavery during the 19th Century. Later penning a memoir following the tragedy, Northup's dreadful ordeal has only been previously dramatised in a forgotten 1980s telemovie, but now it has been immortalised by filmmaker Steve McQueen (no, not that Steve McQueen). The resultant motion picture is unsettling, harrowing and heartbreaking, yet 12 Years a Slave is also a gratifying sit, beset with powerful imagery and artful moviemaking, devoid of the eye-rolling sentimentality of Lee Daniels' The Butler. While not the greatest motion picture of 2013, it is most certainly an essential document of one of the most tragic periods of American history.

In 1841, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is living peacefully with his wife and two children. A free coloured man, Northup is educated and respected, but he is unceremoniously abducted after a night of heavy drinking, waking up one morning in shackles. Against his will, Northup is renamed Platt and shipped to Louisiana to work on a plantation owned by Master Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch). Thus begins a twelve-year odyssey for Northup, who is utterly broken by the demoralising slavery system. Eventually winding up on a cotton farm run by the brutal, slave-breaking Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender), Northup also meets young slave girl Patsey (Lupita Nyong'o) as his hope gradually dwindles that he will ever win back his freedom or see his family again.

McQueen reportedly wanted to pen an original motion picture about a free black man who's forced into slavery but could not quite crack it. Until, that is, his wife introduced him to Northup's 1853 memoir, paving the way for 12 Years a Slave. (There are clashes over who was responsible for the screenplay, but it seems that both McQueen and the credited John Ridley contributed.) One of the script's biggest successes is the poetic dialogue - rather than modern-sounding chatter, the dialogue throughout 12 Years a Slave feels organic to the era, while also being engaging and naturalistic to boot, and that's no small achievement. Additionally, McQueen ensures that we grow to care about Northup in the movie's opening stages, and we are left to ponder how we would react if we found ourselves in similar circumstances. There are some superb thematic undercurrents at play here as well, as McQueen delves into the ethics of Northup's odyssey to great effect. However, a few of the slave drivers are borderline cartoons, particularly Paul Dano's character. In fact, Dano is introduced singing an offensive song over a montage of slave labour. Some may say such wickedness is accurate to the period, but there isn't much depth to these roles, with the film seemingly intent on demonising those "evil white folk" who took advantage of the slave trade.

As demonstrated in motion pictures like Hunger, McQueen has a flair for creating visual and aural masterpieces, with every frame evidently subject to a great deal of deliberation. His filmmaking spell is amazing throughout 12 Years a Slave, convincingly recreating America's South in the 19th Century on a modest $20 million budget. One can literally feel the sweltering heat of Louisiana, with the astonishing sound design that's incredibly layered yet also understated and realistic. The film's set design is equally breathtaking, with a textured sense of authenticity that feels unforced, bestowing a sense of vividness to Solomon's ordeal. 12 Years a Slave was also shot on 35mm film stock (a rarity these days), giving the visuals a gorgeous texture and a real sense of scope. The colour palette is rich and vibrant, with McQueen refusing to lean on the cheap desaturation gimmick that's become too widespread. However, McQueen holds onto some moments and shots for a bit too long. McQueen would have been wise to trim a few of the more uneventful shots, and he occasionally lingers on the torture too much when a more minimal approach might have amplified the film's power.

The Oscar-nominated Chiwetel Ejiofor is nothing short of mesmerising as Northup, who tries his hardest to maintain self-worth in the face of appalling oppression, yet must come across that he is not. It's sold so well by Ejiofor, an actor who's bounced around the sidelines of movies for years without making much of an impression, but who shows here that we've been underestimating his worth. Comparisons to Sidney Poitier are not unearned; Ejiofor's performance is one of dignity and honest-to-goodness gravitas, creating such a fully-rounded character that not a single moment feels in any way contrived. Meanwhile, Lupita Nyong'o won an Oscar for her supporting role as Patsey, and for good reason.

12 Years a Slave also features a cavalcade of recognisable performers in minor roles. The always-reliable Paul Giamatti plays a ruthless slave peddler, while Cumberbatch is rock-solid as a plantation owner. McQueen favourite Fassbender appears as well, and he's absolutely terrifying as the callous slave driver. And finally, Brad Pitt gets a minor cameo role as a Canadian carpenter who's disillusioned by the American slavery system. Unfortunately, Pitt's inclusion feels hoary; he acquits himself well, but it's hard to shake off the feeling that we're looking at Pitt. A lesser-known performer might have made a bigger impact.

It's easy to see why the Academy awarded 12 Years a Slave with the coveted Best Picture Oscar, as it's a grim, powerful historical tale about racial issues that will probably be used in high school history classes in the future. But is it the best movie of 2013? In my humble opinion, it is not. It's a compelling experience, to be sure, but lacking in replay value, and it's something you appreciate more than you actually enjoy. It's not a motion picture that you will want to watch again too often. Nevertheless, it is a worthwhile history lesson, and the sense of time and place is astonishing. McQueen's technical accomplishments alone make 12 Years a Slave worth watching, even if the experience is flawed.

8.1/10

Even though I heard it would be a tough watch, it still ended up being a massively depressing movie to watch. Of course, the horror displayed was tremendous but, above all, I thought this movie had a terrible mirror effect. Indeed, even though I’m somewhat optimistic and believe that men are usually good, this movie reminds you that men can be evil, especially to one another. Furthermore, I’m half Dutch and if the Dutch managed to become one of the richest countries in the world, in spite of the fact that it is actually a very tiny land, it is also because they made a fortune with slavery back in those days. So, there you are, centuries later after our ancestors have been brutalizing those poor African fellows so we could live a comfortable existence, we are here in a luxury movie theater with dolby surround looking back at the story of one black man who was basically daily tortured just so they could make a fortune. So, I felt pretty bad afterwards but movies are not always about entertainment, certainly not. Sometimes, it is there to remind you about the awful things that happen or happened and, therefore, this movie was incredibly valuable. To be honest, there were a few things that did bother me a little though. Somehow, the movie makes a point that the main character shouldn’t be there because he was born a free man but the idea is ludicrous. Born free or not, nobody should endure such treatment. Secondly, we should be thankfull that Brad Pitt produced this movie but his part as a self-righteous liberal was rather misplaced and the fact that him, the massive Hollywood star who happens to be a white man, saves the day didn’t help either. Of course, you might argue that it is what was written in the book but still. To conclude, aside these minor flaws, it is a terrific drama, for once, the Academy had it right and it is definitely worth a look.

This! This was amazing and definitely Chiwetel Ejiofer's best performance. Too bad he didn't get the Oscar. However this film did get the Oscar for best picture so that says something. Also Lupita Nyong'o who before this was an unknown does really well and it shows as she got an Oscar as well.

Quvenzhane Wallis was in this, but I didn't even notice at the time I watched it because her role was so miniscule. Brad Pitt plays a small role in this just like he did with The Counselor, but he made a better choice being involved in this one.

Michael Fassbender plays antagonistic to the T. He is remarkable when he plays villainous characters and redeems himself after also being involved in the snorefest The Counselor.

Paul Dano and Paul Giamatti just play asshole racists that have no good qualities about them. Ruth Negga shows up in a minor role which I only mention for myself since I love Ethiopians and specifically enjoy her presence albeit her role being so miniscule.

Benedict Cumberbatch sticks to being a villain as usual and he just plays antagonistic so well. He's just so good at playing bad. The acting is just remarkable! The musical score is really great especially the part where Chiwetel Ejiofer begins singing in a really well filmed scene. The ending was beautiful.

I really enjoyed this as well as many people in the world did. It's a movie I am sure will be recommended for many decades to come. So let's keep pushing it towards the ones who have yet to see it. Put down the laptop or turn off the monitor and watch this already.

It's always interesting to see a movie based on real events. Some of them are breathtaking, so it is but in a heart-wrecking way. It is not like someone who lost at sea for months or someone who trapped on an island for years. It is slavery, very cruel and harsh form of torture that takes one's freedom away.

This true story occurred back in 1841, nearly 170 years ago. A New Yorker Solomon Northup, a born-free black American was kidnapped and sold into slavery. So his journey into the dark world begins after he was assigned to work in various fields. It was incredible and unbelievable sad journey of those 12 years till he gets his freedom back.

After the movie 'Shame' Steve McQueen retained his favourite actor Michale Fassbender to play in a prominent role for the third time for this historical epic drama. As usual, he became the ambassador to McQueen's movie along with great performance by Chiwetel Ejiofor. The movie was captured in beautiful places of Louisiana. The unknown supporting cast was also given great support with their small roles in the story.

It was a good adaptation, but dialogues were very weak. There's no strong lines said anywhere in the movie or any memorable and rememberable. I believed the movie transformed exactly as the book says, I mean the original edition one. This movie is not appreciable for its contents because it was evilfull, but for bringing back the truth to the todays audience. It was acknowledgeable hard work for the cast and crew. So this movie will be recognised in big stages that mean the Oscar is not far away to fetch for McQueen and Chiwetel.

I remember after Shame had come out, and emotionally gut-punched me, reading about Steve McQueen’s new film being an adaptation of Solomon Northup’s memoir, Twelve Years a Slave. Shame had impressed me greatly, and I figured if anyone could make an emotional honesty and devastating portrait of the American slavery system, it would be McQueen. He seems to traffic in complicated and harrowing dramas about men stuck in tumultuous situations and fighting for their way out.

12 Years a Slave did not disappoint me. I think that when all of the dust settles and long after the awards season has ended, 12 Years a Slave (and Gravity) will stand as a towering achievement in movie-making for the year 2013.

Granted, this isn’t exactly a comfortable viewing experience, but 12 Years feels incredibly authentic, radiates brilliance in every facet and is feels like an essential film blooming before our eyes. You can pick just about any segment of the film and talk about how perfect it works in unison with everything else. But since I’ve already mentioned McQueen, we might as well start with the director.

Only his third feature film, 12 Years continues on with his distinctive style of film-making – an artfully composed, starkly emotional and viscerally engaging. His clear-eyed vision leads the charge that the rest of the cast and crew follow along with. Never one to hand-hold or play things for Oscar prestige, McQueen instead delivers a complicated and daring portrait of an evil that crept into every corner of American society, leaving long-lasting ramifications that haven’t healed entirely over time.

Then of course there’s the script by John Ridley. Yes, the film mostly focuses in on the narrative of Northup’s enslavement and eventually freedom, but it also loads itself up with beautiful amounts of symbols and rich character details. Where to begin to discuss the scenes that disturbed or enlightened me and have stuck with me all of this time? The slave auction that sees a woman’s children torn from her side and sold off is a marvel of great acting, writing and directing. Another is a scene in which a field slave begs Northup to kill her and remove her from her miserable existence. Or the one where Northup is left strung up from a tree until his master arrives to cut him down while the other slaves go about their business and pretend to not witness or get involved with the atrocity happening before their eyes.

But we never lose sight of the hope and promise that gets Northup through every trial and harsh encounter. Northup’s memories and feelings about home, his longing to return to the safety and embrace of his family is the constant humming noise in the distance. And Chiwetel Ejiofor, a gifted and underrated British actor who has been turning good work for so long that it seems criminal that he’s just now getting a huge part like this, nails every nuance and conflicted emotion that the role requires. His pained face and tenacious inner strength are the visuals which Ridley’s script and McQueen’s direction lovingly drape themselves around. McQueen compared Ejiofor to Sidney Poitier or Harry Belafonte in terms of his class and dignity as an actor, strong comparisons but Ejiofor meets them with wild success.

The other two main roles go to Michael Fassbender as a sadistic slave owner and newcomer Lupita Nyong’o as a field slave. Fassbender, another great actor who seems to have only recently poked through the mainstream, transforms into a scary monster, a man who has turned scripture into an ordained right to punish his slaves and mistreat his wife as he sees fit. His character feels like a Molotov cocktail ready to light and ignite at a moment’s notice. While Nyong’o plays Patsey, one of Fassbender’s slaves and the object of his cruel affections. The rape she endures is painful, you can practically see her spirit hover above her body while it happens, and even worse is the whipping which sees small pieces of her back fly off as it builds in intensity and cruelty. But two scenes stuck with me longer, the above mentioned scene in which she smiling and calmly requests that Northup kill her and free her from her misery. The second features Alfre Woodard as a kept woman whom Patsey eagerly tries to learn from and mimic her decorum, class and nobility. It’s a strange scene in which Woodard reminds us her particular magic and gifts – someone give this woman a juicy movie role or great television series already! But Nyong’o is no slouch, and if there’s any justice on March 2nd she’ll walk to the podium to collect her Best Supporting Actress award for her committed turn. The emotional truth she brings to numerous scenes is the true staying power of her part, and not the physical tortures that she endures.

But there’s a tremendous amount of unique and underrated character actors surrounding those three, I’ve already mentioned Woodard, but there’s also Benedict Cumberbatch, Sarah Paulson, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, Brad Pitt, Scoot McNairy, Taran Killam and Adepero Oduye. Each and every single one of them is always a welcome presence to me as they bring with them a tremendous body of excellent work. Paulson is especially memorable as Fassbender’s jealous and cruel wife taking her frustrations out on Patsey every chance she gets. Giamatti as the slave auctioneer sticks with her for the amount of uncaring and unflinching efficiency with which he completes his work. The sight of Oduye crying and in hysterics over her children being ripped from her offers him only a minor annoyance and nothing more. Oduye’s grieving mother is a small wonder, but another reminder that there’s a lot of talented black actresses out there with little to no substantive work outside of opportunities like this. While McNairy and Killam are the foppish yet sinister men who trick Northup into getting drunk and sell him off. Cumberbatch is Northup’s first owner, a decent man and a preacher, which almost makes him crueler in the long run. While Dano, who seems to excel at playing sociopaths and troubled young men, is the carpenter in charge of work going on at Cumberbatch’s property and constantly butts heads with Northup before eventually trying to lynch him. And lastly Pitt, who comes in at the end, a benevolent Canadian who agrees to try to help free Northup from his enslavement, and I know it seems strange to call a major star like Pitt an underrated actor but think of much solid work he has done in the past and yet we continue to think of him as an attractive movie star only. It’s a symphony of great actors relishing the juicy parts they’ve been given.

I could clearly keep rhapsodizing about the merits and beauty to be found in 12 Years a Slave, but I fear that I would bore you if I kept prattling on and on and on. So I will wrap up with this, here is a film that has the courage to stare the subject of slavery in the face and never waiver in its gaze for a single moment.

Having the ability to cinematically re-tell a chapter of history has expanded rapidly in this generation. The majority of bio-pics and historical-dramas feature a story with oppressive contents; however, there are the odd few true stories which depict a touch of hope within humanity. 12 Years A Slave tells a story of pre-Civil War America that represents the brutality of slavery whilst within it, introduces Solomon Northup’s extraordinary and touching tale during enslavement. Following in similar footsteps to Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List and Roman Polanski’s The Pianist, 12 Years A Slave certainly does provide enough visual persuasion of 1800s American slavery whilst also becoming a fantastic bio-pic filled with sublime performances from its ensemble cast and breath-taking mise-en-scéne.


Although slavery in America occurred in the 19th century, for Hollywood to illustrate and promote an oppressive piece of their history may have been difficult. Still, the aim was to interpret American slavery as it was at the time. Last year we saw Django Unchained, a slight historical twist of slavery in the US but 12 Years A Slave more realistically portrays a brutal reflection, especially the attention to detail in moments of violence and abuse. Furthermore, slavery in 12 Years A Slave is centred primarily on Northup’s personal experience in which the whole concept becomes both disturbing and inspiring. Similar to the representation of the Holocaust in Schindler’s List and Nazi-invaded Poland in The Pianist, Northup’s 12-year odyssey of enslavement exposed inner faith, which is the key to a bio-pic told within a hostile environment.


Prior to directing 12 Years A Slave, Steve McQueen had only made two features - Shame and Hunger, both of which are low-budget, British independent films. In their own ways, both have been sadistic projects from the perspective of its protagonist. In that sense, 12 Years A Slave and its contents became prominent to McQueen’s directorial style and subject choice. 12 Years A Slave became less independent than McQueen’s previous works and had consequently become a high-standard film, with a higher budget and more Hollywood-y touch to it. At the same time, it still maintained the perspective of Northup within the dark and raw surroundings. Similarly, while the subject is oppressive, the actual production of 12 Years A Slave was beautiful, particularly Sean Bobbit’s cinematography who occasionally highlights the natural landscapes; therefore, enhancing the realistic touch of 1800s America.


Throughout his career up until now, Chiwetel Ejiofor has been ‘that actor’ who made regular supporting appearances behind central stars. However, Ejiofor leads the pack in this historical-drama with a superb breakthrough performance. Similar to Adrien Brody’s performance in The Pianist, Ejiofor reflects Northup’s clear family-minded, sensitive nature whilst exhibiting the horrors of slavery. We observe many African-Americans in 12 Years A Slave but Northup becomes the black male slave as his journey of torture, pain and sorrow illustrates a clear understanding to viewers from just one man’s viewpoint. Nevertheless, Ejiofor has finally had his breakthrough role and deserves to be an Oscar contender. Meanwhile, Lupita Nyong’o makes her acting debut in an outstanding performance as female slave Petsey. Like Ejiofor, Nyong’o’s performance is a representation of gender within American slavery and her role impressively interpreted the vulnerability and innocence of women during enslavement as well as the pain, cries and pure fright.


Michael Fassbender returns for the third consecutive time with Steve McQueen. Following his previous critically acclaimed performance in Shame, Fassbender shines once again as the sadistic plantation owner Edwin Epps. Fassbender has portrayed cold, bitter characters in the past and this became advantageous to his role in 12 Years A Slave. He superbly reflected the cold-hearted, sinister mannerism of Epps; therefore, honestly depicting the cruelty of Caucasian plantation owners towards their slaves. In addition, Benedict Cumberbatch makes a decent appearance as William Ford, another plantation owner but more benevolent than Epps. Paul Dano also gets some screen time as Ford’s abusive and incredibly racist carpenter. Being arguably the most racist character in the entire film, Paul Dano brilliantly enhanced further realism among their treatment of black people during that period. As a result, it has become his greatest performance since There Will Be Blood or even Little Miss Sunshine.


Whether based on real-life events or an original screenplay, the cinematic representation of slavery is bound to raise curiosity and occasional controversy, especially when there’s slavery involved. 12 Years A Slave marvellously depicts to viewers how America was in the South during that period, which was enhanced further by McQueen’s superb directing, excellent performances from particularly Ejiofor, Fassbender and Nyong’o. McQueen’s latest is as energetic, drama-wise, and is not far among Schindler’s List and The Pianist in terms of expressing human drama through historical facts. Nevertheless, 12 Years A Slave may be a stomach-turning film but there is no doubt it is one of the most powerful bio-pics of this generation and will be a strong contender for Best Picture.

When tasked with re-creating a real life story, directors must keep the foundation of the story while adding just the right touch of film magic in order to create something special. When taking in 2013's 12 Years a Slave everything about this film seems generally authentic and emotional, the only thing used to enhance the experience is a beautiful cinematography that accentuates the feel of the harrowing experience being translated to the screen.

Solomon Northup is a free man living in upstate New York, until one night he is kidnapped and sold into slavery. Solomon pleads his case, but the ruthless plantation owners will not hear him out and soon Solomon is either forced to accept his new life or be killed.

Director Steve McQueens cinematography is what helped recreate the look of the mid 1800's. Showing the churning wheels of the riverboat as it leaves symmetrical lines across the distant ocean, or the sun rise and brisk Louisiana morning each of these visuals helped transition to some of the most emotional scenes in a long time. Easily the most uncomfortable viewing of 2013 thus far, McQueen doesn't shy away from the brutality these men and women suffered at the hands off their ruthless plantation owners. It will undoubtedly make even the most hardened person look away and wince. There was more then one occasion when the violence was just too intense to keep your eyes focused on the screen. McQueen did this in order to fundamentally recreate how horrible these situations must have been to live through during these times.

Lead by Chiwetel Ejiofor in what will probably be a career defining performance from him, 12 Years a Slave is a film that benefits from big time actors playing smaller parts in order to make this film a complete and essential viewing. Actors such as Paul Giamatti, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Sarah Paulson and Brad Pitt had very little screen time but they kept this film flowing at a much needed quick pace. Other then of course Ejiofor the actor who stepped up their game and delivered was Michael Fassbender. It is not at all surprising that Fassbender gave off another defining performance. His intensity and his brutality was downright chilling. He put every ounce of energy into breathing life into his very violent and self destructive character. There were times when Fassbender and Ejiofor shared the screen together and you could feel the level of intensity growing, each actor giving everything they had to this film that is perhaps the most complete film about that era in US history. While Ejiofor's performance was courageous and sentimental, Fassebender was barbarous and cold. His unforgiving facial expressions easily sent chills down your spine. He is quickly proving himself to be one of the most sought after actors currently working. He has proven time and time again he is willing to go the extra mile in order to help elevate the film.

This film has easily emerged as the front runner for best picture at next years Academy Awards ceremony. Fassbender, Ejifor should easily score acting nominations and McQueen will most likely score a nomination and a win for best director. It is easily the most photographic of any film witnessed this year. It blends characters, images, and dialogue to near perfection. In 10 years from now when a list of classic historically accurate films depicting America through the years is formed, this film will be on it and sitting near the top of that list.

A film worthy of a view. It's emotional range and characters never fault and each and every actor present in this film plays a part in recreating the true story of Solomon Northup. Despite the often discomfort felt during violent scenes, 12 Years a Slave remains a definite must see for any fan of cinema.