Day-Lewis IS Abraham Lincoln

Rating: 7/10 (15 August 2014)

Here's one to appease all the history buffs out there. Steven Spielberg's historical drama Lincoln. Here you've got a story about one of the greatest presidents in our history being played by one of the greatest actors in our current history. That actor of course is the magnificent Daniel Day-Lewis who gives an exceptionally spellbinding performance as the 16th president of the United States.
Lincoln chronicles one of the most tumultuous parts of Abraham Lincoln's presidency. As the Civil War enters its fourth year, Lincoln and his cabinet are stuck at a crossroads in passing the 13th amendment, an amendment that will effectively abolish slavery and will level all male citizens of the United States equal under the law. The film details Honest Abe's struggle amid a cavalcade of other characters all played by stellar A-List actors and actresses.
First and foremost, Lincoln is a good movie. It was made by history buffs for history buffs and the historical accuracy of the film has been widely praised. It certainly helps that Day-Lewis bares a frighteningly uncanny resemblance to Abe, and his performance more than sells the idea that we truly are watching Abe fight for equality.
However, if you asked me if I loved Lincoln I would have to say no. I liked it. I enjoyed it. I don't regret watching it. I didn't fall in love with it though. There were a handful of scenes I really did get a rise from. Namely, the debate scenes within the House of Representatives are some of the most enthralling and entertaining. They depict a Congress full of loud mouthed drunkards who shout and curse over one another, completely going against all of the civility we assume Congress exhibits today. (Ha, I could barely type that with a straight face). It depicts an unabashed and unapologetic take on Congress, one that was probably very accurate to the time period. Spielberg's attention to detail in these scenes shines as well, equipping almost every desk in the House with an ash tray and a bottle of liquor. It's these little things that make me smile while watching Lincoln.
The rest of the film is full of powerfully performed scenes of Lincoln doing presidential, and non-presidential things, and plot forwarding scenes that are lit and shot consistently well by longtime Spielberg cinematographer Janusz Kaminski. These scenes, while setting an aesthetically gripping mood, also help cement the film's slow and sometimes dull pacing. I don't want to say that Lincoln is a boring film, but it does drag and doesn't always hold my interest from a plot perspective, holding me back from a love of the film.
At the end of the day Lincoln is a film that should not be missed if you love Spielberg, Daniel Day-Lewis, or just great performances in general, because the film is packed with them. It boasts a cast of A-Listers including Tommy Lee Jones as the sternly sarcastic Thaddeus Stevens, Sally Field in a powerhouse performance as Mary Todd Lincoln, Joseph Gordon-Levitt in a smaller role as Robert Lincoln, David Strathairn as William Seward, and the always lovable James Spader as W.N. Bilbo, a foul mouthed, cigar smoking, quick witted sonofabitch. You'll find a great performance in every single frame of this film, even if as a whole the film doesn't exactly change your life.