12 Years a Slave

R

Released Oct 18, 2013

2 hr. 14 min.

History

Drama

Biography

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95%

379 Reviews

Tomatometer

90%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

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.

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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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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

Connor A

This is a really good film. Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender give great performances. It's a hard film to watch at time, but with a powerful, emotional true story this is a must see.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/09/24

Full Review

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Steve McQueen

Director

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Solomon Northup

Michael Fassbender

Edwin Epps

Benedict Cumberbatch

William Ford

Paul Dano

Tibeats

Garret Dillahunt

Armsby

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12 Years a Slave: Trailer 1

2:29

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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

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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
Executive Producer: John Ridley, Tessa Ross
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
Sound Mix: Datasat, Dolby Digital

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