12 Years a Slave

My movie buddy and I decided to see a special screening of the new "slave" movie playing at a local theater. The previews piqued our interest in seeing the film, so we attended with expectations. Sadly, those expectations were not met on several levels.

A film has to engage the emotions of the viewers so there is buy-in to the story being told. This film came across as actors portraying their roles, rather than actors becoming their characters. I watched the most emotional scenes from a distance, not engaging with the characters and what is happening to them. Sure, it is horrific, what is done, but it didn't feel that way during the film.

The main male slave character is too resigned, too able to accept his slavery – and since he didn’t fight what happens to him, I didn’t engage with his character. I understand the concept of “go along to get along,” and it would have cost him physically had he overtly fought his enslavement, but he seemz also to give up spiritually. There are two instances when he fights his captivity, both of which shine because the rest of the time he’s so passively resigned to his fate.

The supporting cast is excellent in the portrayal of a ruling class that takes for granted that human beings are theirs to own. The slave owner’s wife is particularly vivid in her nuanced performance of both sympathy for and acceptance that slaves are purchased products to be used and abused at will by their masters. She is the one character with depth of character in her performance.

Far too often it takes far too long to make a point in the picture, with scenes that drag out to uninteresting before they are played completely. A slow pace dulls the senses and distracts from the scenes that need empathy to be believable.

Thus, I’d give 12 Years a Slave a grade of C.