Why Morgan Freeman won't be seeing '12 Years A Slave'

It's one of the most acclaimed movies of the year, and is an expected awards season contender, but Morgan Freeman isn't that interested in seeing "12 Years A Slave."

The Steve McQueen-directed drama is based on the real-life account of Solomon Northup, a free black man who was kidnapped and trafficked into slavery in the antebellum South.

The film is being hailed as a masterpiece, with accolades regularly handed out by critics for stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong'o.

But Freeman hasn't been swayed by the clamor.

"I saw a television movie that was made a few years ago about the same character (Northup)," the 76-year-old, who next stars in November 1's "Last Vegas," explained to The Daily Beast. "But I don’t particularly want to see it. I don’t want my anger quotient exacerbated, you know? Things are bad enough as they are. I don’t want to keep punching myself in the face with it."

"12 Years A Slave" opened in limited release on October 18, and is expected to go wide on November 1.