Good in parts but a disappointing History-according-to-Hollywood.

Rating: 6/10 (5 February 2013)

Although titled 'Lincoln' this Spielberg movie is not a biopic but the story of the passing of the 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery. In so far as it focuses on the culmination of Lincoln's life and political career it might indeed be said to be hagiography, a piece of hero- worship which presumably will have more appeal to American patriots than to others. We actually learn very little about Lincoln's background , early life and rise to power, which is a pity as they make a fascinating story in themselves.
Visually it is an absorbing film, replete with period detail and atmosphere, and Daniel Day-Lewis's portrayal of the beleaguered President is stunning (although his accent reminded me of Walter Brennan's 'Stumpy' in Rio Bravo, an incongruous comparison). But for me the man who steals the show is Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens, the rabble rousing leader of the Radicals, whose performance is ever watchable.
Although there are a few battlefield scenes and glimpses of Lincoln's family life, the movie revolves around the debates on the Amendment on the floor of the House of Representatives. I was struck by the resemblance to those court-room dramas beloved of Americans, punctuated by cries of 'Objection!' and 'Clear the court!' 'Lincoln' could, perhaps, be seen as a scaled-up courtroom drama, with Lincoln the man on trial and the congressmen the jury. A noticeable weakness in the dramatic structure, however, is that the 'accused' himself never appears in the 'courtroom' (presumably that would be un-Constitutional) so that the 'trial' is conducted through intermediaries. Dramatic tension is further weakened because we already know the outcome - the Amendment is passed, slavery is abolished, the War is ended.
Many of the interchanges between congressmen, although passionate, are perhaps overly-long and complex unless you are a keen student of American history. On that point, there are several scenes which would presumably resonate much more strongly with a US audience (e.g. the surrender at Appomattox) than they did with myself. It also did not seem clear quite why abolishing slavery and ending the war were in direct conflict with each other, the raison-d'etre of Lincoln's personal and political dilemma.
The movie's ending is baffling. We all know that Lincoln was assassinated by a gunman while watching a theatre performance. Fine. We see a theatre performance and expect to witness the ghastly deed. But no - the central character is absent once more. A man rushes onto the stage to announce that 'The President has been shot!' Where? We're in the theatre but we didn't see it! What's going on? Did I miss something? Cut to scene of Lincoln on a bed, being pronounced dead by a physician. Seems we were in some other theatre where his young son is in the audience so that we can witness his pain on hearing that his father is dead. We've been fooled but not in a good way.
The movie is not without clichés - swelling music as the Amendment is passed, some rather self-absorbed story-telling by Lincoln, slightly sycophantic admiration from the younger generation, and a kind of beyond-the-grave finale. It's all a strange mixture.
Not one of Spielberg's best movies but some patience and a little preparation on the historical background may enhance enjoyment. Even so, still worth a look.
(Viewd at the Odeon, Westbrook, Warrington, UK 04.02.13)