A Film to be Seen

Rating: 9/10 (17 November 2012)

One of the things I love about Daniel Day Lewis is his ability to totally transform into his roles. Here is no exception. Stepping into the shoes of the sixteenth president of the United States, Lewis almost seems to become him, body and soul. By the end of the film, although you can still sense something of Lewis about the eyes and mouth, you feel you are in the presence of Abraham Lincoln. You feel the man on screen is a man of flesh and blood rather than another representation of an iconic figure. Watching Lewis walk, thin shoulders stooped in weariness, it seems as though the actor is living what he enacts. He is Lincoln the father, Lincoln the husband, Lincoln the storyteller, Lincoln the statesman. He catches all of Lincoln's political keenness, his idealism, his contradictions, his grief, regrets, and woes in a complex and masterful performance.
Great as Day Lewis is, he does not overwhelm the picture. Sally Field holds her own with Lewis as the anguished Mary Todd Lincoln, heartbroken and haunted by the memory of the death her son Willie. Likewise, Tommy Lee Jones is stunning as the passionate abolitionist Thaddeus Stevens. There is a moment in the film where Jones's character, who has spent the better part of his life in a crusade against slavery, realizes he must compromise his principles so that the 13th Amendment might have a chance to pass. All it takes is one single shot of Jones's craggy face to fully reveal the maelstrom whirling in Stevens's soul.
The rest of the supporting cast is just as excellent. Even smaller roles (like James Spader as a greasy, underhanded cohort of Lincoln's or Hal Holbrook as a more conservative member of the Republican Party) are infused with color and life. In particular, I was impressed by David Strathairn's compelling performance as secretary of state William Seward. Seward is presented as a close confidante of Lincoln's, although the events surrounding the passage of the 13th Amendment put a strain on their relationship. You can tell in many scenes that he is caught between two conflicting emotions, his admiration for Lincoln's ideals and his utter frustration with the measures Lincoln takes to make those ideals a reality. Strathairn brings out this inner turmoil – the exasperation mixed with respect, the complicity in actions with which a part of him disapproves – with sensitivity and honesty. It is a true gem of a performance.
Of course, all these performances would come to nothing without being backed up by fine writing. Tony Kushner's screenplay is richly literary and it is a pleasure to hear his words ring out. The film's dialogue crackles with intensity as it is spoken; it can be witty, humorous, perceptive, and sometimes it flows from the actors' lips like poetry. The film is also beautifully photographed. The cinematography has a quiet grandeur, not unlike Day Lewis's interpretation of Lincoln. It isn't overly ostentatious. It doesn't go out of its way to be visually striking and yet images from the film linger in my mind – for example, that shot of Lincoln and his son by the window as the Amendment is passed.
Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" is a lovingly made and well-written film with outstanding performances. The sets, costuming, and cinematography are great. This is a film to be seen.