Lincoln

Directed by Steven Spielberg. Written by Tony Kushner (screenplay), Doris Kearns Goodwin (book) (in part). Starring Daniel Day-Lewis (Abraham Lincoln) , Sally Field (Mary Todd Lincoln), David Strathairn (William Seward), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Robert Lincoln) and Tommy Lee jones (Thaddeus Stevens).

Bottom line: Lincoln is a wonderful movie. The acting is superb, the story is great, the cinematography is beautiful. I can’t think of a reason not to see this movie.

4/4 

Going to see a Spielberg movie is a lot like going to a nice steak restaurant. You know exactly what you are going to get: a darn good steak dinner with a professional, clean, orderly decor. It will be fancy but not inaccessible. Sure, it may not be particularly innovative but in the realm of steak dinners, it is a solid choice. Some restaurants will try to be really posh but make terrible food and others will be really crude in appearance. Lincoln is a perfect example of a Spielberg-dinner-movie. Simply put, I can think of nothing wrong with this movie and it made going to the theaters a lot of fun.

Lincoln is based on Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. It looks at the beginning of the President’s second term. It was a tumultuous time: the 13^th amendment was being considered and the Civil War was coming to an end. Lincoln had been pushing the amendment on the grounds that it would be a critical move to end the war. People of the country supported this, at least, up to a certain point; the desire for peace was greater than the desire for slavery but, naturally, if they could have their cake and eat it too they would. At the same time, the war was about to conclude on its own. So, if he didn’t pass the amendment before the war ends, then he may never have had the chance. We all know that the amendment passes but it doesn’t spoil the suspense. The excitement comes out in how everything comes together at the end. We are also shown the effects of the presidency on the Lincoln family.

There are so many things on which a lesser movie could have focused at the expense of other qualities but Spielberg puts a meticulous finish on every aspect of Lincoln. I honestly wish I had a large vocabulary because I don’t want to keep using “great” “wonderful” “incredible” to describe Lincoln.  This movie reminded me in a lot of ways of Kings Speech (which I loved).

The costumes and sets create a wonderfully rich world complemented by Janusz Kaminski’s stunning cinematography. Light cascades through white curtains, cutting through cigar smoke to give everyone an aura. I hate to say it but, because the images are so memorizing, I was distracted from the dialog.

The acting in this film is incredible. Daniel Day Lewis, I’ve come to understand, is better than sliced bread. He is stoic and warming. He tells his stories with a wonderful gentleness but not at the expense of force. He has this particular tone to his voice when he yells. Recall that "drink your milkshake" scene from There Will Be Blood and you’ll understand what I mean. I love that yell and he yells like that here.

Tommy Lee Jones is the outspoken abolitionist, Thaddeus Stevens. Is it just me or does Jones just play himself? Space Cowboys, Men in Black, No Country for Old Men. In Lincoln, he plays Tommy Lee Jones in a wig. I don’t mean that negatively, mind you. I like him, but it took me a little bit of time to adjust to seeing him. He fits the role and plays it well.

I also didn’t expect to see Gordon-Levitt. He plays Abe Lincoln’s eldest son, Robert. He is studying to be an attorney but wants to join the Union army to play a more direct role in the war effort. The spirited youthful character is a positive addition to the movie. There is enough of him to get move the plot along but not enough to overshadow anyone else, which, now that I think about it, can be said of just about everything with the movie. There is a scene, for example, where Robert and his father argue. The emotion and scene lasts long enough to be powerful but ends before it becomes melodramatic. Similarly, the jokes sprinkled throughout are light and quick.

Sally Field does a great performance as Mary Todd Lincoln. Through her, we are able to see her pain and feelings of helplessness amidst a racist and sexist society. I would have liked to see more of the interactions between Mary Todd and Abe. Their scenes are of the most powerful in the movie.

The music is by John Williams so, if you know him, you know the quality. If you don’t know him, he was behind Jaws, Star Wars, Jurassic Park; the list goes on.

Overall, Lincoln is a really great movie; I had a lot of fun watching it and I look forward to seeing it again.