Day Lewis carries lumbering Lincoln

Rating: 7/10 (10 January 2013)

As he did in There will be Blood the art of Daniel Day Lewis simply overwhelms intriguing plot, solid production values and the lumbering direction of Steven Spielberg in Lincoln. Summoning his inner Henry Fonda Lewis once again proves with authority that he is the finest English speaking actor working in film.
Lincoln concentrates on the final year of the war and the political struggle to end slavery in the Senate. Now just as then politics can be very surly and Spielberg does not spare Honest Abe when considering the stakes and he consents to whatever means possible.
Spielberg's direction is deliberate and stodgy with beautifully lit compositions that hang around too long. He also stumbles with his jarring attempt to bring a comic relief to the sober theme regarding a trio of shifty con men displaying too much stooge slapstick working in concert with Lincoln's cabinet.
Sally Field's Mrs.Lincoln does not hold its own with Lewis because no one's performance this year and most others don't but she does supply a fair share of powerful moments. Spielberg gets competent performances from the rest of his cast save Spader's manic hipster con man but with all the performances as well as director Spielberg's meandering pace you will hardly notice since Daniel Day Lewis has your complete attention from start to finish.