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12 Years a Slave

R Released Oct 18, 2013 2h 14m History Drama Biography TRAILER for 12 Years a Slave: Trailer 1 List
95% Tomatometer 379 Reviews 90% Audience Score 100,000+ Ratings
In the years before the Civil War, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man from upstate New York, is kidnapped and sold into slavery in the South. Subjected to the cruelty of one malevolent owner (Michael Fassbender), he also finds unexpected kindness from another, as he struggles continually to survive and maintain some of his dignity. Then in the 12th year of the disheartening ordeal, a chance meeting with an abolitionist from Canada changes Solomon's life forever. Read More Read Less
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12 Years a Slave

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Critics Consensus

It's far from comfortable viewing, but 12 Years a Slave's unflinchingly brutal look at American slavery is also brilliant -- and quite possibly essential -- cinema.

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Critics Reviews

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Nijla Mu'min Bitch Media Director McQueen, drawing on the visual aesthetic of his previous works Shame and Hunger, never shies away from frames that capture the ways that beauty exists in the most painful situations. Jan 20, 2021 Full Review J. Hoberman Harper's Magazine 12 Years a Slave is, like The Trial, a trapdoor over the abyss. Although less abrupt than Kafka's novel, the movie wastes little time before plunging its viewer into a nightmare of dehumanization. Mar 4, 2018 Full Review Candice Frederick Reel Talk Online Ambitious, honest and horrifying all at once, 12 Years a Slave may not be the easiest film to watch more than once, but it will stay with you forever once you see it. Rated: A Sep 6, 2017 Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand What’s most impressive about the film is the way it shows how slavery distorts humanity on all levels. Mar 8, 2024 Full Review Mark Johnson Awards Daily A searing and thought-provoking portrait of pre-Civil War American slavery... 12 Years a Slave is an absorbing and divinely crafted film, even if it is a brutal watch. Jun 14, 2023 Full Review Jennifer Bisset CNET More than just a prestige, period film, it's a difficult but necessary viewing experience. Apr 20, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jeremi L One the best script ive seen, this movie really gives you emotion (from hate, laugh, joy, sadness)... really deep story and the actors were 10/10 Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/14/24 Full Review James B good film hard to watch and depressing good acting Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 04/13/24 Full Review Lukas K This showcase of absolute human cruelty will leave you speach-less and devastated. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/26/24 Full Review Eye C A really difficult movie to watch, but great crafted. Kudos for this Mexican actress Lupita Nyong'o it is superb her interpretation. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/26/24 Full Review Megan B A devastatingly, hauntingly, and painfully beautiful film that tells a story that would be considered too Hollywood were it offered as fiction. McQueen's sensitivity to character, narrative, tone, and pacing is exceptional. He knows when to be quiet and when to raise his voice. Chiwetel Ejiofor provides an unforgettable lifetime performance as the protagonist, Solomon Northup, with every word and expression being ultimately believable. Michael Fassbender demonstrates that he can inhabit a vile character and sweat it from his own pores. There are no let-downs in the casting. Each role stands on its own performance-wise and builds the story. Hans Zimmer's score is one of the finest I've heard in quite some time. A slow-burning but emotional and relentless tale that stayed with me for weeks. This is one of the most complete films I've ever experienced. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/18/24 Full Review Daniel B One of the most rememberable movies I remember watching when it first came out, this movie expertly tells the story behind a dark time in American history. It's got some of the best performances from it's cast, it's got so many interesting and heart breaking shots. On top of all that, it respectful tells the story lost to time. There's little to fault with this classic. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/12/24 Full Review Read all reviews
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12 Years a Slave

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Movie Info

Synopsis In the years before the Civil War, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man from upstate New York, is kidnapped and sold into slavery in the South. Subjected to the cruelty of one malevolent owner (Michael Fassbender), he also finds unexpected kindness from another, as he struggles continually to survive and maintain some of his dignity. Then in the 12th year of the disheartening ordeal, a chance meeting with an abolitionist from Canada changes Solomon's life forever.
Director
Steve McQueen
Producer
Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Bill Pohlad, Steve McQueen, Arnon Milchan, Anthony Katagas
Screenwriter
John Ridley
Distributor
Fox Searchlight
Production Co
River Road, New Regency Pictures, Plan B Entertainment
Rating
R (Some Nudity|Brief Sexuality|Violence/Cruelty)
Genre
History, Drama, Biography
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 18, 2013, Limited
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Jan 17, 2014
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 31, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$56.7M
Runtime
2h 14m
Sound Mix
Datasat, Dolby Digital
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