The "Schindler's List" of the mid-1800's

Rating: 10/10 (18 January 2014)

Imagine having yourself, a completely free human, end up drugged, bound, stripped of your freedoms and rendered a slave for twelve long, arduous years. You would have no contact with your family or friends, you would not be permitted to mention your prior life as a free man without the threat of being beaten, and you would serve an abusive and tyrannical slavemaster for twelve years of Hell. You would be tested to your limits as you are beaten within inches of your life each and every day. Does this sound like something out of your nightmares? It is not, because that is what Solomon Northup went through.
The phenomenal acting of Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon Northup is something that must be seen to be believed. His mannerisms of desperation, nervousness, and pain throughout the film provides the harrowing study who loses his freedom, goes through unspeakable acts of cruelty, and becomes a free man again. It is truly a performance that proves that small things such as facial expressions and body language can make a world of difference in the world of acting. As much as I think that Leonardo DiCaprio should receive his Best Actor Oscar for his role in The Wolf Of Wall Street, I would not consider it a snub if Chiwetel Ejiofor wins instead.
However, Ejiofor is far from the only standout performance in the movie. Michael Fassbender earns a well-deserved Best Supporting Actor nomination in a performance as Edwin Epps you will love to hate. Brad Pitt and Benedict Cumberbatch give performance that may not get much screen time, but are enjoyable for the screen time they do receive. Sarah Paulson scores as the hateful, blatantly racist wife of Edwin Epps. Last, but not least, is Lupita Nyong'o as Patsey, a role that few actresses (especially among African American actresses) have matched in terms of sheer pain and sorrow expressed on the screen (she deserves a Best Supporting Actress win, not merely a nomination).
As a senior in high school who holds a fascination with this particular era of history (among several others), the things I heard of the film being the most harrowing portrayal of slavery on film are 100% true. This film can be brutal at moments, including whippings, overwork, an execution, and a rape, among other atrocities. However, the film is portrayed with such raw honesty that transcends the horrific acts of cruelty that are depicted on screen. Steve McQueen (the director) truly pulls no punches when it comes to explicitly depicting the time accurately. The language (Did you really expect a period piece on slavery to not include the n-word?), the fashion (the costume design is exquisite), and the cruelty (for reasons I've already explained) are all true to the particular era in American history.
Emotionally, few films have affected me as deeply as 12 Years A Slave. This is easily one of the most disturbing films I have ever seen (and the most disturbing one about slavery). In fact, as far as overall depression is concerned, it would not be entirely inaccurate to refer to this movie as "The "Schindler's List" of Slavery-themed movies." However, this is also one of the best movies of 2013. Loaded with amazing acting, the film grips you from the start and does not stop pulling you emotionally until the movie is finished.