12 Years a Slave

When I think of 12 Years a Slave, I think of fire. Everything from the screenplay, to the direction, to the tone, to the scorching performances reminds me of a flame being ignited.

12 Years a Slave is based on the depressing and horrifying true story of Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor) a musician who is tricked into thinking he being offered a large job opportunity when really he is being sold into slavery. His journey takes him along with Patsey (Lupita Nyong'o) a slave in a similar situation of being yanked from her family as both are sold from conniving and heartless slave master to slave master until they end up falling into the hands of Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender) and his wife (Sarah Paulson) who would make any terrorist seem generous by comparison.

Every performance in this movie is Oscar worthy. Chiwetel Ejiofor will break your heart as Northup, the amount of expression and sheer bewilderment will drag the viewer down into his journey of Hell. Ejiofor's performance is so moving and powerful a few scenes alone of the actor's facial expressions say more then many can say with a whole script. If he doesn't win the Oscar I call sheer bullshit.

Everything I said about Chiwetel can be applied to Lupita Nyong'o as Patsey as well. I can't say I've seen her in any movies before but she demonstrates a mastery of strength, heartbreak and conviction as Patsey.

Michael Fassbender and Sarah Paulson are persuasively nasty and repulsive as the least caring masters the slaves belong to. Fassbender more notably dominates his scenes with his foul resentment. Though his character Edwin Epps can easily be labeled as a monster, other scenes also are effective with showing the more caring and hidden side as well such as the scenes involving his consequences of giving attention to Patsey and his wife's sheer hatred for her due to those reasons.

I hate to label this movie as entertaining due to the cruelness, death, and despair that occur throughout but through Steve McQueen's direction this is easily one you will be holding your breath for from beginning to end. I couldn't wait to see what happened next even though at times I wish I wasn't watching this as several scenes involving whippings, rape, and hangings make me wish I wasn't watching. McQueen wasn't going for just a plain History lesson this movie, he was aspiring to hit the nail in your brain, your heart, and your eyes. It's a clear level of mastery.

And just when you're worried that 12 Years a Slave will end sappy, the movie steers clear from sap. The last scene of Solomon reuniting with his loved ones is one of the most touching and heartbreaking scenes from a movie I've seen in a while. I was almost crying like a bitch as the credits were rolling. Kudos to everyone involved. 12 Years a Slave is a masterpiece and is easily the best film of 2013 I've seen.

4/4