12 Years a Slave
A review
November 11, 2013
Viewed November 11, 2013
***** out of *****
It has been stated for centuries
that history is written by the winners.
The lens of history offers so much in retrospect that all the analysis
in the world cannot change the uglier parts of a country’s past and its
makeup. The United States for all its
glory and its power has a brutal history to comprehend and acknowledge. As an institution slavery lasted in the
United States from pre-Revolutionary War to Civil War, and at its peak time
there may have been as many as four million slaves in the United States. This painful and wrenching period in our
history was the first in a chapter of loss and pain that generations have
struggled to make sense of with no discernable answer. In slavery’s bleak pill to swallow, history
shows no winners, for the legacy remains and understanding it means telling its
story.
The backdrop of this remarkable
film, 12 years a Slave, provides
audiences with a stunning and powerful narrative that is such a distinct and
unique experience that it transcends the boundaries of film. Based on the memories of a man named Solomon
Northup, the film tales the story of a free man tricked into slavery by two con
artists who draw him from his New York home and his family, where he wakes up
from a drunken night in chains and being sold.
The film follows Northup given the slave name of Platt, and he
eventually finds his new home, and his path directly in the line of a brutal
and terrible plantation owner named Epps.
Films that have dealt with slavery
in the past have done so with broad strokes, however this film is an intimate piece with a flawless
screenplay that allows the viewer to experience the thoughts and feelings of
Northup even as it exposes the horrors of the slave condition. As brutal as some of the segments are, and
make no mistake this is a film that is painful to watch, but who could look
away? The screenplay by renowned American writer
John Ridley is an exploration of the human soul at its weakest and most
powerful. By fleshing out such strong
characterization especially of Northup, Epps, and the film’s other central character,
Patsey, Ridley is able to extend beyond the
restrictions of memoir and tap directly into the psyche of this astonishing triangle
that lies at the center of this film.
British director Steve McQueen, in
only his third major feature film weaves all of the elements together in a
cohesive flow, and his choices seem perfectly pitched to capture the
moment. He focuses largely on the faces
of his principals, and captures the look alternating the camera to provide a
counter perspective to the internal conflict.
The central paradox of Northup’s
journey from free and quiet citizen to slave and back to free man again lies in
the horror that he was a lucky one.
The end film notes that his story was reflected in many men and women
who had similar narratives, but never escaped. An educated and thoughtful man Northup
stands out due to his demeanor. The
viewer is filled with fear for him for exposure, for his safety and life
depends on him not standing out.
There are so many indelible sequences
in the film that burn into the memory with an urgency that is profoundly
moving. This is a film that will be
discussed and talked about for years to come.
The performers of this remarkable
film are standouts one and all. As
Northup, thirty-six year old actor Chiwetel Ejiofor is amazing. Mr. Ejiofor, who has been around for a decade
now steps into this seemingly impossible role to play and do justice, and
triumphs in every frame. Without his
towering presence the film would not soar to the heights it does. Playing the loathsome Epps, Michael
Fassbender brings his trademark intensity and the full measure of his
considerable prowess to this character.
Newcomer Lupita Nyong’o is a revelation capturing the agony of Patsey,
who is targeted by Epps for unwanted attention. I would not be surprised to see all of
these performers win award after award this following year for these
portrayals. The rest of the cast
including Brad Pitt, Alfre Woodard, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Giamatti, and
Adepero Oduye provide memorable moments as they drift in and out of the
story.
There is a tendency with historical
films to squander too much of the facts in favor of narrative. Here is a historical film about a time in
our nation’s history that volumes have been written about it, and yet with this
film it is brought front and center with stunning detail. One cannot view the events of this film
without gaining a broader understanding of the tragic story as it unfolds. Northup’s journey is not one of triumph of
simply surviving the horror, but a moving testament to the heroes whose names were
never known, and filled unmarked graves in history’s sad parable for us
all.
Tommy
Key
Rated
R(violence, cruelty, nudity, some sexuality)
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