12 Years a Slave

I took a break from my study schedule to see 12 Years a Slave, a film which will undoubtedly win awards come February. Every year, I try to watch all of the Oscar-nominated movies, so I headed this one off pre-emptively, because it is going to be nominated.

12 Years a Slave is based on the book of the same name which I read in high school. To this day, it is still one of the most profound things I’ve ever read, and is one of my favourites. It tells the story of Solomon Northup, a free black man living in 1840s New York, who gets deceived by some sketchy guys and sent to Louisiana to work as a slave. Like the title suggests, he is there for twelve years. First he works at the plantation of William Ford, and later that of Edwin Epps. I’ll discuss these two later. It’s important to note that this is an autobiography, and is incredibly accurate, which makes it all the more important.

Let’s talk characters.

Northup is played by Chewitel Ejiofor, who is simply brilliant. I had only ever seen him in the positively hilarious Kinky Boots (another great movie), and this is certainly not that. I’m not sure what I could say to get across the wonder of his performance. He brings the nuances that make this film a success. Because the story is exclusively told from his point of view, he’s in every scene. Every. Single. One. And he nails it every time. He’s captivating. Every scene is perfectly acted, not over the top, but not understated. He is so convincing and full of raw emotion. He deserves all the acclaim in the world.

Northup’s first master, William Ford, is played superbly by Benedict Cumberbatch (that man is in everything this year). The character of Ford is tricky. He seems nice, but that’s because the majority of white people in this movie are horribly cruel. It’s best put in a conversation Northup has, when he says Ford is a good man, and the other slave replies “A good slaver is still a slaver.” Cumberbatch is great as the hypocritical and naive Ford. The on-screen chemistry between him and Ejiofor (hell, Ejiofor and everyone) is electric. They move on screen together as two halves of a whole. He also has a great seen where he rides in brandishing what appears to be a machete. Fantastic.

Michael Fassbender as Edwin Epps is good in a frightening way. He is so good that he terrifies me. He’s a little too convincing. Epps runs his plantation with a firm hand, quoting bible verses that say it’s okay to give his slaves “many lashes” with the whip. He also wakes them up in the middle of the night to dance for him. Just for fun. Northup is at the Epps plantation for more than half of the film, and it’s tough to watch. Epps is also smitten with slave Patsey, played by Lupita Nyong’o. I thought for a long time about how I wanted to describe her, but I came up short. She is so good that if she doesn’t win an Academy Award, a terrible error has occurred.

Another true test of a movie's worth is the number of celebrities who wanted a piece of it. Paul Giamatti and Brad Pitt, among others, are in this movie for moments, but they're still there. I could talk for hours about every great actor and actress in this movie. I know that I gave the men most of my time, but this movie isn't lacking in excellent actresses either. Int he theatre, play particular attention to Mrs. Epps and Mrs. Shaw, as well as Patsey.

This whole movie is tough to watch. You could write academic papers about the symbolism found in almost every richly detailed scene. This movie is told about an outsider looking in. If we’re being honest, I’m well aware that I am a really privileged person. I’m white, middle-class, all the usual things that give me an advantage in this world. Slavery is not a part of my history or, for the most part, my life. It’s not part of Northup’s life either. Until he is snatched up, he is a free professional musician. That’s what makes this movie so important. Northup forms an us versus them mentality, drawing the line between himself and the other slaves, providing this view without being inappropriate. It’s as horrifying for Northup as it is for the viewer. There is one short scene that I think summarises the movie entirely. It is brief but resonant. A slave is left to strangle to death, and the camera flashes to children playing in the background while others go about their work. It’s distracting and disturbing, and it’s what the entire film feels like. You’ll leave the theatre troubled. It’s a very good movie, but it isn’t a happy one. It’s about Northup being broken apart slowly, and you can feel each increment that he slips at it happens.

The camera work is fantastic. There are long sweeping shots through the Louisiana bayous and fields at dawn and dusk. Smash cuts perfectly placed for maximum dramatic effect. Excellent use of light and shadow. I could go on forever. The movie is like a moving painting.

So...is this movie perfect? No. Critically, I had a few problems. Most of the actors (the men particularly, although not exclusively) are not American. Often, the accents would sneak through. Fassbender was particularly bad for this, playing his part with an Irish-Southern thing going on. Cumberbatch was somewhat better, although not perfect. In a movie that gets so much right, it was just one overlooked detail. The timing of the film was also strange. Northup’s kidnapping is quick. It felt like about five minutes from totally free to totally enslaved. It was way too fast. As well, having read the novel, Northup’s time at the Ford plantation is three years. This translates to the movie as roughly twenty minutes. They did manage to fit twelve years into a bit over two hours, but this made a lot of scenes feel rushed. If you asked how long it felt like Northup was a slave, I would have said three years, maximum. I think that’s just a hazard of the movie.

I highly recommend this movie. It’s about as real as slavery can get without a time machine. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. A lot of people left the theatre wiping away tears. This won’t be the last you hear about this movie. I’d give it a solid 5/5. It’s something that you’ll reach for on a lazy Friday, but it’s something to make you think.

What was the last movie you saw? Good/Bad? Oscar picks for this year?