No Holds Barred
Director Steve McQueen didn't hold back when telling Northup's story. He leaves in every gory detail, from the physical abuse to the emotional trauma Northup and the other slaves endured. He also successfully depicts the complex relationships between slaves and owners. Each character in the film is extremely well-developed and the factual journey some slaves who were lucky enough to earn back their freedom underwent is truly gut-wrenching. This movie won several well-deserved awards.