10 Harrowing Movies That Will Crush Your Soul

3. 12 Years A Slave

As viewing experiences go, 12 Years a Slave is traumatic.

Based on the memoir of Solomon Northup (here played by Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery, 12 Years a Slave is a ceaselessly miserable deep dive into one of the worst episodes in American history, offering a painful reminder of the cruelty human begins are capable of inflicting on each other.

The scene where Solomon is forced to whip his friend and fellow slave Patsy (Lupita Nyong'o) until she's almost dead is perhaps the picture's most harrowing moment, yet the entire movie is painfully difficult to watch. Furthermore, there's no inspirational or optimistic material here, for the film is one long, sharp scream of anguish that only delivers a bit of light in the very final scene, as Solomon is reunited with his family. Even then, that was only down to pure luck.

As such, 12 Years a Slave is one of those great movies that really isn't enjoyable in the traditional sense. You'll respect the hell out of it without loving it, grateful to have witnessed this brilliant piece of cinema but breathing a sigh of relief when it concludes.