Movie
12 Years a Slave
2013 • R
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.
Content advisory
LGBTQ+ Characters/Relationships
Unrated
Language
moderate — The film contains moderate strong language including 7 instances of moderate profanity and 21 mild profanities. Words such as 'damn', 'hell', and some stronger terms like 'goddamn', 'bastard', and a single use of 'bitch' occur. Racial slurs are used repeatedly in a historical context but not condoned.
Mature Themes
heavy — The film deals extensively with mature themes such as kidnapping, slavery, racial discrimination, abuse, trauma, murder, and moral complexity. These themes are central to the plot and are depicted in historically based, realistic ways.
Scary/Intense Content
moderate — The film contains moments of intense peril and disturbing imagery including violent beatings, prolonged noose hanging, lynchings, and sexual violence which may be frightening or deeply upsetting to some viewers.
Sexual Content & Nudity
heavy — The film depicts explicit sexual violence with a scene where a man rapes a female slave, thrusting until climax, then slapping and choking her. There is also natural full frontal nudity shown when slaves wash and when they are lined up for inspection and sale. Additionally, a woman is seen masturbating using a man's hand.
Substance Use
none — No substance use such as alcohol, smoking, or drug use is reported in the source material.
Violence & Gore
heavy — The film shows scenes of severe physical violence including heavy beatings of slaves, a woman being repeatedly whipped with graphic bloody injuries shown in close-up, brief lynching scenes, and a man forced to stand with a noose around his neck for a prolonged time. The violence is realistic and often disturbing.