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12 Years a Slave

"The extraordinary true story of Solomon Northup"

2013-10-18 Drama 2hr 14m

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.

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12 Years a Slave
Amazon Video

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Storyline

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.

  • Released
    2013-10-18
  • Revenue
    $187,000,000
  • Budget
    $20,000,000
  • Runtime
    2hr 14m
  • Genre
    Drama, History
  • Status
    Released
  • Language
    English
  • imdb-logo
    8.1
  • Production
    New Regency Pictures, Plan B Entertainment, River Road Entertainment, Regency Enterprises, Film4 Productions

Crew

Steve McQueen
Director
John Ridley
Screenplay
Dede Gardner
Producer
Keywords:
slavery plantation based on memoir or autobiography violin player physical abuse black slave usa history slave owner 19th century sold into slavery abolitionist landowner abuse of power african american history

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Cast

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Chiwetel Ejiofor
Solomon Northup
Michael Fassbender

Michael Fassbender
Edwin Epps
Lupita Nyong'o

Lupita Nyong'o
Patsey
Benedict Cumberbatch

Benedict Cumberbatch
William Ford
Paul Dano

Paul Dano
John Tibeats
Sarah Paulson

Sarah Paulson
Mary Epps
Adepero Oduye

Adepero Oduye
Eliza
Scoot McNairy

Scoot McNairy
Brown
Paul Giamatti

Paul Giamatti
Theophilus Freeman
Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt
Samuel Bass
Michael Kenneth Williams

Michael Kenneth Williams
Robert
Alfre Woodard

Alfre Woodard
Mistress Shaw
Chris Chalk

Chris Chalk
Clemens
Taran Killam

Taran Killam
Hamilton
Bill Camp

Bill Camp
Radburn
Kelsey Scott

Kelsey Scott
Anne Northup
Bryan Batt

Bryan Batt
Judge Turner
Quvenzhané Wallis

Quvenzhané Wallis
Margaret Northup
Garret Dillahunt

Garret Dillahunt
Armsby
Dwight Henry

Dwight Henry
Uncle Abram
Dickie Gravois

Dickie Gravois
Overseer
Ashley Dyke

Ashley Dyke
Anna
Cameron Zeigler

Cameron Zeigler
Alonzo Northup
Tony Bentley

Tony Bentley
Mr. Moon
Christopher Berry

Christopher Berry
Burch
Mister Mackey Jr.

Mister Mackey Jr.
Randall
Craig Tate

Craig Tate
John
Storm Reid

Storm Reid
Emily
Tom Proctor

Tom Proctor
Biddee
Marc Macaulay

Marc Macaulay
Captain
Vivian Fleming-Alvarez

Vivian Fleming-Alvarez
Mulatto Woman
Douglas M. Griffin

Douglas M. Griffin
Sailor
John McConnell

John McConnell
Jonus Ray
Marcus Lyle Brown

Marcus Lyle Brown
Jasper
Richard Holden

Richard Holden
Fitzgerald
Rob Steinberg

Rob Steinberg
Parker
Anwan Glover

Anwan Glover
Cape
James C. Victor

James C. Victor
Buyer
Liza J. Bennett

Liza J. Bennett
Mistress Ford
Nicole Collins

Nicole Collins
Rachel
J.D. Evermore

J.D. Evermore
Chapin
Andy Dylan

Andy Dylan
Treach
Deneen Tyler

Deneen Tyler
Phebe
Mustafa Harris

Mustafa Harris
Sam
Gregory Bright

Gregory Bright
Edward
Austin Purnell

Austin Purnell
Bob
Thomas Francis Murphy

Thomas Francis Murphy
Patroller
Andre De'Sean Shanks

Andre De'Sean Shanks
Victim 1
Kelvin Harrison Jr.

Kelvin Harrison Jr.
Victim 2
Scott M. Jefferson

Scott M. Jefferson
Master Shaw
Isaiah Jackson

Isaiah Jackson
Zachary
Topsy Chapman

Topsy Chapman
Slave Spiritual Singer 1
Devin Maurice Evans

Devin Maurice Evans
Slave Spiritual Singer 2
Jay Huguley

Jay Huguley
Sheriff
Devyn A. Tyler

Devyn A. Tyler
Margaret Northup (adult)
Willo Jean-Baptiste

Willo Jean-Baptiste
Margaret's Husband
Jason Ament

Jason Ament
Cooke (uncredited)
Jon Arthur

Jon Arthur
Steamboat Crew 1st Mate (uncredited)
Sean Paul Braud

Sean Paul Braud
Lynchman (uncredited)
Blake Burt

Blake Burt
Upper Class Pedestrian (uncredited)
Carroll Burt

Carroll Burt
Lower Class Pedestrian (uncredited)
Edward J. Clare

Edward J. Clare
Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
JJ Coker

JJ Coker
Mr. Bartholomew (uncredited)
Haylie Creppel

Haylie Creppel
Child in the Park (uncredited)
Justin Edward Davis

Justin Edward Davis
Saratoga Park Pedestrian (uncredited)
Jim Johnson

Jim Johnson
Lower Class Pedestrian (uncredited)
Mark Joyce

Mark Joyce
Street Merchant (uncredited)
John C. Klein

John C. Klein
Lumber Mill Customer (uncredited)
Gerard 'Jerry' Lewis

Gerard 'Jerry' Lewis
Slave Guard (uncredited)
Kevonte Mcdonald

Kevonte Mcdonald
Slave (uncredited)
Ritchie Montgomery

Ritchie Montgomery
Roadman (uncredited)
Jason Owen

Jason Owen
Safty (uncredited)
Shawn Parsons

Shawn Parsons
Road Man (uncredited)
Haley Powell

Haley Powell
Slave Girl (uncredited)
Wayne Pére

Wayne Pére
Winslow (uncredited)
Terrell Ransom Jr.

Terrell Ransom Jr.
Slave Boy (uncredited)
Erin Rementer

Erin Rementer
Ballroom Dancer (uncredited)
Andre Robinson

Andre Robinson
Slave Boy (uncredited)
Corrina Roshea Bobb

Corrina Roshea Bobb
Slave Buyer (uncredited)
Jarett Shorts

Jarett Shorts
Hornboy (uncredited)
Chaz Smith

Chaz Smith
Cigar Smoker (uncredited)
Tyler Soerries

Tyler Soerries
Boy Playing in Park (uncredited)
Tre Tureaud

Tre Tureaud
Saratoga Park Pedestrians (uncredited)
Justin Christopher Vaughn

Justin Christopher Vaughn
Ezra (uncredited)
Bob Walker

Bob Walker
Abolitionist Landowner (uncredited)
Caroline Grace Williamson

Caroline Grace Williamson
Ford Daughter (uncredited)
Timothy Wyant

Timothy Wyant
Ford Lumber Buyer (uncredited)

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Movie Reviews

Reviews for 12 Years a Slave
reviewer avatar

A Review by kineticandroid

Written by kineticandroid on 2014-06-21

Sometimes, I just have to stop my brain in the middle of a film and just admire its exceptional craftsmanship. I found myself doing that tim... read more

Sometimes, I just have to stop my brain in the middle of a film and just admire its exceptional craftsmanship. I found myself doing that time and time again during this film. Perhaps I was more open to admiring the shot compositions and acting choices because, as I cynically told myself before the film, it's not like I needed much convincing that slavery was bad. Or perhaps it was because I was shielding myself from the honest brutalities the film convincingly portrayed. Nonetheless, I was reminded of the film "Children of Men," because when I watched that, I was struck by how easily I could imagine a less engaging, more dumbed-down version of the same film. I haven't seen enough films about slavery to know this for certain, but I suspect that because many of this film's principals are British, telling a story about a free man who was forced into slavery, as opposed to one born into it, they were able to be gain some valuable distance from the subject and craft something that's both beautiful and feels true to life. And even though I thought I could not have been made to feel worse than I already did about slavery, the post-scripts on the lack of justice Solomon received for his kidnapping and the unknown causes of his death, helped keep the film from lapsing into a kind of "triumph of the spirit" happy ending others might have imposed.

reviewer avatar

A Review by tanty 8

Written by tanty on 2015-05-02

This movie is very, very well done. Well, edited and with the proper long shots at the proper moments bringing you to the life of Solomon wi... read more

This movie is very, very well done. Well, edited and with the proper long shots at the proper moments bringing you to the life of Solomon without remedy. All the cast performs exceptionally well and Ejiofor is to be remembered for this film. A must to be seen.

reviewer avatar

A Review by post_orgasmic_mood 8

Written by post_orgasmic_mood on 2017-02-20

Not in a long time have I seen a movie that brings out real emotions from my cold hearted soul. This movie brought them out in floods of tea... read more

Not in a long time have I seen a movie that brings out real emotions from my cold hearted soul. This movie brought them out in floods of tears. the acting was superb, especially from the lead Chiwetel Ejiofor, he acted from his little toe right up to his eyes. The style was also filmed beautifully with some (extremely) painful long shots which pulled you into Solomons nightmare. Im not sure if its a film I could watch again, purely for the emotion but I would recommend this film to everyone.

reviewer avatar

A Review by shiri4frnz 10

Written by shiri4frnz on 2017-05-04

**Dreaded at the thought that human kind ACTUALLY had this kind of livelihood at some point of time..** Could not gather my thoughts to w... read more

**Dreaded at the thought that human kind ACTUALLY had this kind of livelihood at some point of time..** Could not gather my thoughts to write this review at the end of the movie.Feeling really bogged down by some heaviness on my chest. Thinking about the times in history when we actually used to do these atrocities on other human beings makes me cringe.To imagine waking up one day and find me in chains just because I'm a colored man and living my life like an unwanted child of god makes me question humanity altogether. Just sitting through a little over than 2 hours and watching this movie made my heart bleed, I can't even begin to think of the people who lived their entire lives as SLAVES... 12 years a slave heart breakingly makes you feel the pain and suffering of almost the entire human kind at one point of time or other. Direction by Steve McQueen is brilliant.Chiwetel Ejiofor plays a helpless slave in Solomon Northup to the hilt and also the small but impactive role played by Brad Pitt as a man with conscience is superb.Lupita Nyong'o's Patsey too was depicted heart warmingly. You can't help but question yourself that how could MAN stoop such low and do these cruel acts and that too over such a prolonged period of time without even a single ounce of doubt in his mind for what he would have to pay for his actions.. All in all a GEM of a movie showing one of the lowest point in human history !

Read Full Review (The thoughts and opinions expressed here are solely those of the reviewer.)
A Review by kineticandroid

Sometimes, I just have to stop my brain in the middle of a film and just admire its exceptional craftsmanship. I found myself doing that time and time again during this film. Perhaps I was more open to admiring the shot compositions and act...

reviewer avatar

A Review by kineticandroid

Written by kineticandroid on 2014-06-21

Sometimes, I just have to stop my brain in the middle of a film and just admire its exceptional craftsmanship. I found myself doing that time and time again during this film. Perhaps I was more open t...

read more
reviewer avatar

A Review by tanty 8

Written by tanty on 2015-05-02

This movie is very, very well done. Well, edited and with the proper long shots at the proper moments bringing you to the life of Solomon without remedy. All the cast performs exceptionally well an...

read more
reviewer avatar

A Review by post_orgasmic_mood 8

Written by post_orgasmic_mood on 2017-02-20

Not in a long time have I seen a movie that brings out real emotions from my cold hearted soul. This movie brought them out in floods of tears. the acting was superb, especially from the lead Chiwe...

read more
reviewer avatar

A Review by shiri4frnz 10

Written by shiri4frnz on 2017-05-04

**Dreaded at the thought that human kind ACTUALLY had this kind of livelihood at some point of time..** Could not gather my thoughts to write this review at the end of the movie.Feeling really bogg...

read more