Daniel and Lincoln

Rating: 10/10 (19 November 2012)

Watching this extraordinary film a second time, it confirms my belief that a great/good/excellent film will only improve with age and reward you enormously. Unlike other contemporaries, it's easier to enjoy and admire every single bit of the study of Lincoln's last weeks. The story deals with remarkable political maneuvers that took place in order to pass the Anti-Slavery Amendment. What makes the film different from the typical political biography is the way it incorporates the intimate moments of his family life, and how it is affected by the historical events that are destroying the nation.
Armed with an army of very talented performers, led by Daniel Day Lewis at his best, Spielberg restrains himself and lets the erudite screenplay take flight. Impeccable art direction and costume design help recreate the era. Michael Khan and John Williams are also on hand to give us a fluid film that is rich and alive, with every conversation being a joy to behold, and when it reaches its climax during the final vote scene, one wouldn't expect to feel such a thrill, but it is unavoidable when there is a director of such caliber. This film couldn't be any further from a big action blockbuster, but the audience's reaction is about the same: pure exhilaration.
Some of the joys here involve just about any scenes with Day-Lewis because he doesn't appear to be acting but channeling the man himself. He presents a full human being, with both emotional and physical loads, endowed with sensibility and guile and able to envision what the multiple consequences of his actions could be. There is one scene when he weighs the various alternatives and puts on his lawyer hat to evaluate his next move, and it's a marvelous option to understand such a special historical figure.
Tommy Lee Jones, as the cranky politician is not far behind as he also knows the way things must be done in order to retain the respects of his followers and manipulate the ultimate compilation of votes. Sally Fields is effective as the emotional and scarred wife who has a big investment in the ultimate passage of the amendment because the current political situation had direct effects on her family. Equally good are the rest of the supporting casts, which includes names such as James Spader, John Hawkes, John Straitharn, and Hal Holbrook.
Overall, the film works as a drama and a historical retelling. We might never know its accuracy, but its soul is there, along with a direct message about how Lincoln saved this country and made indelible contributions to the history of the world.