It's Good, But A Bit Of A Surprise

Rating: 7/10 (12 January 2013)

There can be absolutely no doubt at all that the highlight of this movie is the superb performance by Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln. I've seen a number of his movies, and this is without a doubt his best piece of work. He becomes Lincoln in every way. Yes, the makeup is great. He looks the part. Physically he comes across as Lincoln. From everything I've read about Lincoln, he was tall and gangly and a bit awkward in his gait and stride. Day-Lewis got all that. But it was more than just that. I thought he captured the essence of the man. He was quiet and gentle; a soft-spoken story teller with a sense of humour. That was there. He was a political animal, making deals and dispensing patronage freely. This really was a fine portrayal of the man by Daniel Day-Lewis.
And yet, strangely enough, the movie didn't overwhelm me. It was good, but I didn't think it was great. It surprised me a bit. I was expecting it to revolve around the Civil War and military matters. Instead, it was almost entirely focused on the fight to get the House of Representatives to pass the 13th amendment to the Constitution abolishing slavery. It's primary focus was the political struggle involved with that. In a way, it struck me as a sort of American version of "Amazing Grace" - which dealt with the fight to get a bill outlawing slavery through the British Parliament. All the major figures were included in the movie, but the point seemed to be that it was the minor players who aren't much remembered by history who gave the votes to pass the amendment, usually because their support was purchased by patronage appointments. There's also a brief but interesting portrayal of the River Queen Conference with Confederate leaders. With that focus, be aware that this movie isn't about Lincoln's life. It's really about the last four months of his life, focusing mostly on the last couple of weeks of January 1865.
There were some good supporting performances, especially from Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens, and Sally Field as Mary Lincoln, and some hints of the Lincolns less than perfect marriage. Less impressive to me was David Strathairn as William Seward. Another interesting performance in a limited role was Jackie Earle Haley as Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens.
This is a good movie by all means, and worth seeing if you're interested in Lincoln or this period in history. It's also a must-see just for the performance of Daniel Day- Lewis. Hype aside, is it the best movie of 2012? Personally I wouldn't go that far. (7/10)