Benedict Cumberbatch | Fast Lane Film

The family unit is a societal and cultural structure ingrained in most of our lives. Every family has its quirks, and every family deals with both tragedy and triumph. Families endure everything from illness and death to incarceration and addiction. It’s the love and the loss that makes the world go ‘round, and no family is immune from heartache or difficulty. Moreover, there are common threads found in every family, regardless of class or culture.

For example, even though we love our mothers to death, most people can agree that there are times when you simply want to say, “Shut up Ma!” You’d never say it, but mothers have a knack for speaking their minds unabashedly – much to the chagrin of their children. But we can’t choose our family, and most of us love our relatives for better or worse. In August: Osage County, director John Wells (The Company Men) explores familial themes through the relationships and trials of the Weston family, a dysfunctional Midwestern clan.

Beverly (Sam Shepard, Mud) and Violet Weston (Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady) are parents to three adult children, though the family unit hasn’t been intact since the girls came of age. Beverly is a functioning alcoholic, and Violet is a pill-addicted shrew. She is suffering with Cancer, but her sharp tongue tempers any sympathy. The eldest daughters Barbara (Julia Roberts, Mirror Mirror) and Karen (Juliette Lewis, Due Date) moved away and haven’t looked back, while youngest daughter Ivy (Julianne Nicholson) remained behind as caretaker. The opening scene is jarring, with Streep diving headfirst into the role. It’s so bad it’s good – her character is suffering and it’s uncomfortable to watch, but Streep’s performances always seem like a master class.

When a shocking tragedy reunites everyone, curious family dynamics are revealed. There’s sibling rivalry, buried secrets, infidelity, sexual taboos – you name it. It might sound salacious and melodramatic, but realism permeated the film. The characters’ problems were real, not contrived. I could relate to the daughters’ frustrations as their mother offered well intentioned but unsolicited advice that went far beyond the pale.

I’ve been making the effort to see most of the Oscar nominees, and August: Osage County has two nominations for Best Actress (Streep) and Best Supporting Actress (Roberts). The veterans didn’t mail it in here, and I’m sure they are in strong contention in their respective categories. The entire cast delivered, with Benedict Cumberbatch (The Fifth Estate) and Margo Martindale turning in surprisingly honest performances. This is the type of movie that doesn’t rely on gimmicks, but strength of script and the dramatic talents of a laudable cast. I was most struck by the film’s sense of truthfulness. I almost felt like a fly on the wall, and the realism underscored the film’s effectiveness. My only minor complaint is that the setting felt static, with most of the movie happening in one environment. But I’m nitpicking. Bottom line: an understated but memorable film with strong performances from seasoned veterans and supporting cast alike. Grade: B+

12 Years a Slave conflicted me greatly before I ultimately mustered the mental fortitude to buy a ticket. Strength of content aside, I knew the film would be a difficult watch probably requiring ample Kleenex. Based on the biography of the same name, the film tells the story of Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor, Salt), a free Black man from New York who was abducted and sold into slavery in 1841. Director Steve McQueen (Shame) expertly crafts a horrific glimpse into a very ugly aspect of our shared American history. The graphic depictions of abject cruelty rocked me to the core, but the film is undoubtedly an amazing piece of work.

When the movie begins, we see Solomon as a slave already. Through flashbacks we learn that he was happily married with two children and that he owned his own home. He maneuvered through his environment with independence and comfort, which must’ve been a rarity for the day. A gifted violinist, Solomon often played his fiddle for White audiences at parties and other small events. His talents drew the attention of two transient musicians who claimed to be seeking an addition to their circus show. They convince Solomon to make a short trip to Washington to discuss the matter further. After dining with the pair and having a few glasses of wine, Solomon awakes a short time later to find himself shackled and chained. Overwhelmed with horror and disbelief, Solomon screams out for help, to no avail. He has been sold to a slave trader, and a frightening new reality is revealed. His life as Solomon Northup is over; he is now a fugitive slave named Platt and any reference to his former life will be met with swift and brutal consequences.

As a viewer, my sensibilities were assaulted throughout the course of the film. The indignities Solomon suffered after being sold into slavery were unfathomable. Any notions of modesty or basic human pride were stripped immediately, and I’ve never witnessed such a graphic depiction of the evils of the institution. It was difficult to watch humans treated as property or animals, and I had to avert my eyes several times. Children ripped from their mother’s arms, physical torture, psychological degradation and verbal humiliation were a daily way of life. Solomon in particular must have been decimated psychologically, having tasted freedom and knowing nothing of the perils of subjugation.

The film is sweeping, covering Solomon’s life as he is sold from a slave trader to a relatively benevolent plantation owner named Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch, Star Trek Into Darkness), and ultimately as he ends up in the hands of a slave master named Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender, Prometheus). Epps was a man so evil that I imagine only Lucifer himself could have a soul any blacker. Fassbender was a monster, literally and figuratively. His cruelty is particularly highlighted in his treatment of Patsey, a striking young slave woman who has unfortunately garnered his sick affections. She is a thing to be possessed, perversely favored yet singularly tortured. Newcomer Lupita Nyong’o marks her silver screen debut in the role, and her performance was a revelation.

12 Years a Slave is an overwhelming film. I was overwhelmed watching it, and it is nearly impossible to dissect or encapsulate in a small blurb. Should you see it? Well, it’s an outstanding piece of cinema, but it’s not for the faint of heart. Chiwetel Ejiofor gave the performance of a lifetime. It was wrought with emotion and I believe that the actor laid himself bare, displaying astounding cinematic vulnerability. The psychological transformation he brought to life was mind-blowing. When we stand around the water cooler talking about movies and the actors “making noise” right now, his name needs to come up more frequently than it does. This was a tour de force performance. Director Steve McQueen has demonstrated an ability to elicit raw, soul-baring performances from his lead actors. He did it in Shame and he’s done it again. Aided by stark, austere cinematography and a visceral score, he brought the horrors of slavery to life in a manner heretofore unseen. Grade: A.

This article first appeared at Poptimal and was reprinted with permission.