Spielberg and History

Rating: 7/10 (19 November 2012)

Steven Spielberg's Lincoln is a surprisingly good political biography, focusing on the passage of the 13th Amendment that abolished slavery. Although it occasionally descends into hagiography like most historical films, it gives an overall nuanced portrait of arguably America's greatest president.
The film avoids the log cabin legend that most Lincoln film biographies gravitate toward, placing him firmly in the rough and tumble world of nineteenth-century politics. Lincoln buys votes for the amendment through offers of political patronage, and even more ambiguously extends the Civil War in order to ensure its passage. There is grist for the mills of both Lincoln admirers and critics.
The film features some great acting, with Daniel Day Lewis filling the title role perfectly. Sally Field and James Spader give strong supporting performances. However, the true scene stealer is Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens, giving an energetic performance that merits a Supporting Actor Oscar in a film that has Oscar bait written all over it.
The film has definite weaknesses. There are a few too many 'cute' scenes involving Tad Lincoln, and Lincoln himself has too much of a tendency to break into folksy witticisms at inappropriate moments. One scene near the end showing Lincoln bathed in white light as he waits for word on the Amendment is just over the top. Still, it is far better than most of the dreck that passes for entertainment these days.