Review of 12 Years a Slave (2013) by Liz C — 14 Sep 2014

This film deservedly won several Oscars. It is beautifully shot, daring, intense and poignant to boot. It's inspired by a real person and a real event, so that makes it have even more of an impact.

Chiwetel Ejiofor plays a free African American black man, Solomon Northup, who gets sold to slavery, by a couple of scheming opportunist. It's about how he survives. He often has to compromise his ethics and morals and do some pretty crazy and brave things to get through it all.

Some of the scenes are just heart breaking. Some people walked out on it when we saw it at the theater. I don't think they thought it was a bad movie per-say. I think they just couldn't take it anymore.

I mean, I don't think I'm giving anything away, since it's about slavery, but there are whipping scenes in it that are disturbing. The acting by everyone from Brad Putt to Lupita Nyong'o and especially Michael Fassbender are just superb.

Steve McQueen, as I said has an interesting style to get a point across. There's one scene that is an uncomfortably extended single camera shot for, what would be to long if any other director tackled it, but he plays it off perfectly and it really hits home.

I would definitely recommend this one, but prepare yourself, it ain't pretty.