Inner Workings of the Government

Rating: 10/10 (22 January 2013)

I have to admit that despite my cynicism about government, I loved "The West Wing" and enjoy so much a movie that digs into the real politics of a time. While there are a couple of schmaltzy moments in this film (like Lincoln's first appearance to the young soldiers), I was able to forgive that and allow them to start their story. I think that Daniel Day-Lewis has again become the character that he is portraying. I've read that there are numerous descriptions of Lincoln's dialectic and his voice quality. I'm sure the technicians worked hard to create as much authenticity as possible. I stopped thinking of actors nearly a quarter into the film and began to see them as well-developed historical figures. Sally Field is one of America's great actresses. She has proved that. Her Mary is troubled but played with restraint. She is not the howling nut case that is how she is unfortunately portrayed. She is fragile and deserves pathos. The politicians are intriguing and flawed in their own ways, just as all human beings are. Tommy-Lee Jones creates an unforgettable figure. The real hero of this film is a script that pulls and tugs at people who carry the baggage of the nineteenth century with them in their decision making. The Union is at a pass that could cause it to come tumbling down. It is LIncoln who sees this and begins to strong-arm those who have the ultimate say. He isn't kindly old Abe in these circumstances. Greatness requires one to leave a few bodies along the way (figuratively, of course). He also is seen as a man who understands the world he is cast into. One wonders why he took this on; what was in it for him? This is a splendid film. The acting is unparalleled. The battlefield effects show a person who has a deep understanding of pain and violence. I was not disappointed in this for a moment.