Steve McQueen (no, not that one) has become a director to watch, especially after his impressive and sadly overlooked film SHAME, which featured an amazing performance by Michael Fassbender. In McQueen’s newest effort 12 YEARS A SLAVE, Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Solomon Northrup, a real life man who was forced into slavery, leaving his family behind in the process. In addition to Ejiofor, the cast includes Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Paul Giamatti, Paul Dano, Sarah Paulson, Alfre Woodard, Dwight Henry, Quvenzhane Wallis, Lupita Nyongo, Scoot McNairy, Michael Kenneth Williams and Garret Dillahunt. I would imagine a director like McQueen isn’t going to pull any punches with this one, and while it may be hard to watch, it may also be one of the most accurate portrayals of an era many don’t remember well enough. To guess the potential of Oscar nomination would be safe. Check out the first poster (above) and trailer below and tell us your thoughts in the comments.
Based on an incredible true story of one man’s fight for survival and freedom. In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty (personified by a malevolent slave owner, portrayed by Michael Fassbender), 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 (Brad Pitt) will forever alter his life.
This looks very good