12 Years a Slave

If you want a drama that takes its characters as seriously as its plot, 12 Years a Slave is available in Australia on Stan, and in the US on Hulu right now. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. With 12,063 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Watch it for Chiwetel Ejiofor — one of the stronger performances out there right now. Start it on Stan whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, 12 Years a Slave is worth clearing space for. The writing in 12 Years a Slave treats its characters as people first, plot devices second. 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. Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender lead a cast doing genuinely serious work here. 12 Years a Slave came out in 2013. 12 Years a Slave resists tidy resolutions in a way that respects how messy real consequences actually are. It rarely drops the ball, and when it does, it recovers fast.

For anyone looking for storytelling that takes its characters seriously, 12 Years a Slave delivers. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Chiwetel Ejiofor anchors a cast that never overplays its hand. The kind of drama that stays with you well after the finale.