An excellent, extremely well acted 13th Ammendment drama

Rating: Null/10 (11 July 2018)

4/4
Some argue that Spielberg is no longer at the zenith of his career, and that might even be true. He isn't churning out summer blockbusters like Jaws or Indiana Jones anymore, but he still makes remarkable dramas. Lincoln is a perfect example of this. It's truly one of the better historical films I've seen.
Daniel Day-Lewis is the best possible cast for Lincoln. He is able to portray every edge of his role. He can (much like the real life Lincoln) fluidly transition between the serious president who will Stop at nothing to end the war and pass the 13th Ammendment, and the laid-back, down-to-Earth storyteller he was known to be off the job. It's very rare for a man to possess kindness, reason, a good reputation and the ability to persuade simultaneously the way Lincoln did. It's even rarer to see a man with such virtue as Lincoln have been done justice on screen. Lewis hones the role and does just that.
The long running-time may (understandably, given the subject matter) repel some viewers with less patience and love for films in general. Cinephiles and history-buffs alike will find that the 150 minutes speed by all to quickly, not giving the proper historical resolution to Lincoln's assassination and other aspects of his life. As far as excitement, this movie falls between full-on war films such as Glory (1989), and Ken Burn's The Civil War. It's deliberate but holds your interest.
Overall, I think that the movie has mass-appeal and Spielberg did a fair job marketing it. It's not a perfect movie, but it's truly great. I think we can agree that Lewis was phenomenal in the role of Lincoln, and that this is Spielberg's best effort in 15 years.