Daniel Day-Lewis Paints An Image Of Lincoln To Last 100 Years.

Rating: 8/10 (22 June 2019)

I can't remember what image I had of Abraham Lincoln prior to seeing this film for the first time. I'm sure I had my own ideas about how he looked, how he sounded when he spoke, his demeanor, etc. I've read about Lincoln - I knew he was said to be soft-spoken, with a sometimes high-pitched voice. I knew he was supposed to be tall, with a bit of a 'stoop' in his posture. Now, when I think of Abraham Lincoln, all I see is Daniel Day-Lewis as 'Lincoln' (2012). Day-Lewis captured all of those qualities I read about, as well as the look from the paintings we have all seen. Spielberg set an appropriate tone and I liked the darkness in many of the scenes. This combination made me feel like I was back in time, witnessing the real Lincoln. And, it's not just Lincoln, but the entire ensemble cast are well-costumed and in top form.
This film isn't for everyone, and it's easy to be mislead as to what this film actually is represents. This is not necessarily a civil war tale, or even a tale about slavery. This film is about the legislative process in early democratic America. It's about the law v morality. And, although I love the movie, I fell asleep the first two times I tried to watch it. It is a little longer than it needs to be and the scenes with Lincoln and his youngest son could have been cut to save about 10 minutes.
It may not be a perfect film, but after experiencing it, this is the image I will have of Abraham Lincoln for the rest of my life. That happens sometimes, when great actors take on great historical roles. Daniel Day-Lewis has created a new cultural frame-of-reference for Abraham Lincoln.
RealReview Posting Scoring Criteria:
Acting - 1/1;
Casting - 1/1;
Directing - 1/1;
Story - 1/1;
Writing/Screenplay - 1/1;
Total Base Score = 5
Modifiers (+ or -):
Standout Performances: +1 ( Daniel Day-Lewis );
Believability/Consistency: +1;
Ensemble Cast: +1;
Total RealReview Rating: 8