12 Years a Slave (REVIEW)

Never have I been so glad to have witnessed something so brutal and horrifying. There is something so terribly uncomfortable about this movie; it’s the discomfort that comes with guilt. Knowing that you can never truly imagine the horror and pain that human beings were subjected to by other humans. Even now that guilt does not pass. Even for those with no connection at all to the atrocities; the simple fact of knowing they occurred serves to make our skin crawl.

Solomon Northup is a free black man living in New York with his wife and children. When his wife goes away for a few weeks, he is tempted to make some money by playing violin for a travelling circus. He goes to Washington D.C. with the men offering him the job, and from there is abducted, shackled and kept in a dark room with other abductees. Their captors ship them south to Georgia in the most degrading way possible, and from there Solomon is sold and passed from owner to owner. He’s given a new name and told to forget all that he knows.

Raw emotion, sympathy and sorrow are all brought to the forefront by this masterpiece. Solomon never gives up hope, despite making concessions in order to survive, with the goal of one day living again.

In terms of performance, you cannot fault Chiwetel Ejiofor. He portrays a broken, humiliated and defenceless man. Yet he gives off a sense of strength and integrity that no other character possesses. With amazing realism he shows emotion and pain. Michael Fassbender is a true talent. He is so believable that you feel pure hatred for him, but also pity, for you see the reality of his character and that he is a product of circumstance just like all of the others. Benedict Cumberbatch is a shining hope, his character being fair and just. The only thing lacking was his accent. Similarly, Brad Pitt’s Southern drawl was atrocious, but this is conveniently explained by his character originating from Canada.

Every detail of the movie serves a purpose, there is no frivolity. It’s pure, simple and straight up shocking. Such a tragic tale to be told, and so magnificently done.