"Lincoln" Review: Day-Lewis Transforms into Lincoln On-screen

Rating: 8/10 (26 November 2012)

If you are looking for a biopic focused on the monumental life of the sixteenth president, "Lincoln" is not for you. Stephen Spielberg's latest film focuses on the last four months of Abraham's life and his struggle to pass the 13th Amendment, the abolishment of slavery. This movie teams arguably the best working director in Hollywood with the best working actor in Daniel Day Lewis. Day-Lewis gives a monumental performance as he always seems to do. I found myself forgetting that I was watching a movie, and focused on what I believed to be Abraham Lincoln. His performance is tender and heartfelt. He is convincingly wretched and weighed down due to the pressure of his presidency. He shows a human side of a man that is commonly worshiped as a hero. He is rarely portrayed as a godly figure and is on the same level as everyone else. Day-Lewis has already won two best actor Oscars, and I believe he is on his way to a third. His performance is subdued, but never tiresome. The rest of the ensemble cast does their job with efficiency. Sally Field and Joseph Gordon-Levitt star as Mary Todd and Robert Lincoln. However, James Spader nearly steals the show with impeccable comedic timing. Another bright spot was Tommy Lee Jones' portrayal of Thaddeus Stevens. After War Horse and The Adventures of Tin-Tin, Spielberg returns to historical drama – a genre he found great success in through Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan. Overall, Lincoln is very dialogue driven, and anyone looking for a war movie will be disappointed. At the core of it, Lincoln is a movie about how a bill is passed, and the struggles that come with it. At the end of the day, Lincoln brings something new to the character that has been immortalized in American history. It shows a president who is continually at conflict with his family and his nation. "Lincoln" proves to be a history lesson and a drama. John William's score is as toned down as ever and feels reverent and subdued. The overall tone of the movie fits the story brilliantly. However, I believe that Lincoln's flaws lie in the writing. The screenplay is based off Doris Kearns Goodwin's book "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln". The problems lie in the screenplay which is written by Tony Kushner. The writing is tedious and sometimes the lines seem fit for a historical book than a dramatic film. If you have no other reason for seeing it, Daniel Day-Lewis is worth the price of admission. Despite its flaws, Lincoln is a monumental film deserving of much praise. Grade: B+