A Full House

Rating: 10/10 (18 November 2012)

At a noon screening I sat in a full house of mainly seniors but also some young folks who appreciated the mood and gravity of the narrative as it reflected our own time as it did that of the debate and passing of the 13th Amendment. To my pleasant surprise, the crowd laughed at the right times and remained silent at the right times. Complicated history laid bare as stark reality rarely elicits such insight from a mixed audience. I attributed their discernment, perhaps too generously, to the fact we have good schools and great teachers in our community. A snobbish but natural reaction.
Daniel Day Lewis will almost surely receive an Oscar nomination for his thoughtful performance of Lincoln. Indeed all the main characters may be nominated in one form or another, as will the director and the production staff. This is not merely a good film but a great one.
If I have one reservation, it is that the opening scene in which a group of soldiers ponderously recite parts of the Gettysburg Address seemed curiously staged, rather like having schoolboys stand at a PTA meeting to take turns mouthing patriotic slogans. A jarring departure, and too reminiscent of modern political correctness from an otherwise compelling drama.
I hope the outtakes will someday be available. I could have watched another hour or so without complaint.