12 Years a Slave

Rating: 9/10 (27 January 2014)

I heard about this film during it's release, I knew it had the star of Love Actually and The Shadow Line in it, and then awards season started, this was one of the most nominated, I had to see why, from Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated director Steve McQueen (Hunger, Shame). Based on the autobiography of the real man, in the year 1841, Solomon Northup (BAFTA winning, and Oscar and Golden Globe nominated Chiwetel Ejiofor) is a free black man living in the society of Saratoga Springs, New York with his wife Anne Northup (Kelsey Scott) and two children, and he makes a living as a violinist, but his life is snatched from him when two men, Brown (Scoot McNairy) and Hamilton (Taran Killam), take him out of town to what he believes will be a music gig, but he is drugged and chained up. Northup is sold into slavery, given the name of an escaped slave, Platt, and taken to the deep south of New Orleans, upscale but callous slave trader Theophilus Freeman (Paul Giamatti) sells him to good-willed plantation owner William Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch), the master is kind to let him have a violin. Tension rise between him and racist carpenter John Tibeats (Paul Dano) who verbally abuses him, to the point when they fight, afterwards Northup endures hours of agony in a noose, Ford sees the only way to save him is to sell him to Edwin Epps (Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated Michael Fassbender), Ford has a debt to pay so cannot listen to his pleas of his identity. Epps is a vicious master, believing he has the right to abuse his slaves according to pro-slavery verses in the Bible, both true and false ones, he encourages the slaves to accept whatever they endure, and they will be beaten unless they pick up to 200 pounds of cotton every day, one slave who is praised lustfully by Epps, picking up to 500 pounds a day, is Patsey (Oscar winning, and BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated Lupita Nyong'o), who Northup becomes close friends with as they endure their traumas. Patsey is violently abused by the envious and nasty wife Mistress Epps (Sarah Paulson) at many opportune moments, and Epps himself rapes the girl repeatedly, and Patsey feels so weak and horrified with her situation that she asks Northup to assist her suicide, but he refuses, he meanwhile along with other slaves are leased to a neighbouring plantation due to cotton worms, apparently a godly plague, and there he gains favour from the owner who lets him play his violin at a wedding anniversary celebration and keep his earnings. Northup wants to use his earnings to try and send a message home, he pays white field hand and former overseer Armsby (Garret Dillahunt) to send a letter to his friends in New York, the man takes the money but betrays him, Epps is informed but is just about convinced by Northup that the story is untrue, and he is tearfully forced to burn the letter, his only hope for freedom. Patsey one day goes missing from the plantation, she returns revealing that she was fetching soap as Epps' wife refuses to give her any to clean, and in anger Epps orders her stripped and tied to a tree, the wife encourages her husband to get Northup to whip her, he reluctantly agrees and does so, but Epps takes the whip wanting it done more savagely, and she is lashed until severely wounded and unconscious. While Patsey heals Northup starts building a gazebo with a fellow construction worker, white Canadian carpenter Bass (Brad Pitt, also producing), he is opposed to slavery which displeases Epps, but Northup confides in this man about his kidnapping and formerly being a free man, he once again asks for help sending a letter to New York, and Bass agrees to risk his life and do so. Eventually the local sheriff calls Northup over, he is asked a series of questions based on the letter of facts received, and he instantly recognises the shopkeeper with him, they have come to free him, Epps is angry at his slave being taken and Patsey is devastated to lose her friend, but he is taken away immediately. Having been enslaved for twelve years Northup returns to life as a free man and an emotional reunion with his wife, older children and a grandchild, the end text tells that the law could not convict those who forced Northup into slavery, and also that the details of his death and burial have never been found. Also starring Adepero Oduye as Eliza and Alfre Woodard as Mistress Shaw. Ejiofor is absolutely compelling as the black man who has his life stolen from him as he is forced into slavery, Fassbender is fantastic as the unsympathetic and malicious slave master, Nyong'o is magnificent as the female slave often hideously raped and beaten, and Cumberbatch, Giamatti and Pitt all do their supporting roles very well also. Apart from Django Unchained, this is one of the only films about slavery from the point of view of an enslaved person, the period detail is impeccable, the brutal and shocking material such as constant "N" words, torture and violence is poignant, and the emotions of suffering, misery, courage and hope seen throughout truly impress, McQueen is a true perfectionist and this film is absolute must see, a brilliant period drama based on a true story. It won the Oscars for Best Motion Picture of the Year and Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay, and it was nominated for Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing and Best Production Design, it won the BAFTA for Best Film, and it was nominated for the Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music for Hans Zimmer, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography and Best Editing, Best Production Design, and it won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Drama, and it was nominated for Best Screenplay and Best Original Score. Very good!