2013 · drama · biography · history
12 Years a Slave
Directed by Steve McQueen2h 14m2013
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.
Our read: 12 Years a Slave (2013) reads as a heavy, steady, grounded drama · biography · history entry — extreme in intensity, mid-stakes in scope, measured in temperature, nihilistic in outlook.
Heavy, steady, extreme drama / biography, grounded in texture. Nihilistic, mid-stakes, measured.
- heavy
- extreme
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Availability in the UK · via JustWatch
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How 12 Years a Slave feels to watch.
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“You want a harrowing true story of stolen freedom and quiet human dignity.”
Skip it tonight — You seek light viewing or cannot face brutal depictions of slavery and cruelty.
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