Fresh
It speaks to the courage and resilience of one man, the savagery of many, and the potential, for both good and for ill, in us all.
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
12 Years a Slave
The extraordinary true story of Solomon Northup.
2013 · 2h 14m · R
Drama, History
Directed by
Steve McQueen
Overview
In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty as well as unexpected kindnesses Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon’s chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist will forever alter his life.
Director and cast
- Steve McQueen Director
- Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon Northup
- Michael Fassbender as Edwin Epps
- Lupita Nyong'o as Patsey
- Benedict Cumberbatch as William Ford
- Paul Dano as John Tibeats
- Sarah Paulson as Mary Epps
- Adepero Oduye as Eliza
- Scoot McNairy as Brown
- Paul Giamatti as Theophilus Freeman
- Brad Pitt as Samuel Bass
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
95%
Tomatometer
Fresh
The cumulative emotional effect is devastating: the final scenes are as angry, as memorable, as overwhelming as anything modern cinema has to offer.
Tom Huddleston, Time Out
Fresh
So overpowering is this film's simple, horrible, and almost entirely true story that it's hard to get enough distance on 12 Years a Slave to poke at its inner workings.
Dana Stevens, Slate
Fresh
Every scene of 12 Years a Slave, and almost every shot, conveys some penetrating truth about America's original sin.
Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News
Fresh
The power of McQueen's movie is in its declaratory style: This happened. That is all, and that is everything.
Wesley Morris, Grantland
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