12 Years A Slave Review

[Westside Steve]

12 Years A Slave

Fox Searchlight

R 133 min

Social politics has always been present around Academy Award time and rarely more evident that this year. It's almost impossible to berate President Obama without somebody calling it a racist attack and I fear some out there might use that same tactic because I didn't love 12 YEARS A SLAVE.

Slavery, a brutal and barbaric practice, has had a place in every culture and race throughout world history. It should have no place in civilized society.

That being said Steve McQueen's film version of the memoirs of Solomon Northrup is, in my opinion, the weakest of the Best Picture nominees.

Mr. Northrup,(Chiwetel Ejiofor) an educated and affable musician, was living a normal life as a free man in New York when he came upon a pair of traveling entertainers making their way to Washington DC. Figuring that his proficiency as a violinist would be a welcome addition to the act Northrup was offered an opportunity to accompany them collect his pay and return home. Unfortunately he is captured after being mistaken for a runaway slave or quite possibly just kidnapped for profit.

From this point on the film is literally scene after scene of heartbreaking brutality as Northrup strives to protect his sanity and his manhood while trying in vain to get a letter to the solicit tours in the north who could provide him with his papers confirming his status as a free man.

Nearly every white person is a cartoon, each more psychotic than the last and yes you will be shocked and angry. And if inspiring cheap anger is the point of the film then director McQueen and producer Brad Pitt have accomplished their goal.

 

I believe personally that a good motion picture should at least reach for a higher goal. Your mileage may differ.

 

C+

[The Cysko Kid]

If it doesn't win some kanye west types will make plenty of embarrassing for everyone statements about it.

[The Gipper]

I am an Obama supporter, but no, it does not bother me that you rate this movie low. Now, the performances were no doubt outstanding to give due credit, but the movie, to me, was merely a graphic documentary on slavery.

The only real interesting character point in this movie was the unreasonable jealousy that Michael Fassbender's wife had over one of the female slaves.