Opening today in select theaters around the country is a Steven Spielberg film about one of the most beloved U.S. Presidents in the history of our country. Entitled (what else?) Lincoln, it stars the incomparable Daniel Day-Lewis in the title role, with Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln, with Tommy Lee Jones rounding out the starring cast as Thaddeus Stevens, a radical republican congressional leader and committed abolitionist. Other noteworthy players include David Strathairn as Secretary of State William Seward, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who bears and uncanny resemblance to their oldest son Robert Todd Lincoln, and Gulliver McGrath as youngest son, 12 year old Tad Lincoln . This film goes into wide release on November 16. I attended a midnight showing last night so I could give my fifteen or so readers a jump on the buzz about Lincoln.
It seems a little strange that this is the third film released this year with Abraham Lincoln as the title character. Although the other two films are stupid-silly treatments. One has the bearded one killing vampires and the other has him battling zombies with a sling blade! Only Hollywood can come up with such preposterous ideas for films by combining two popular subjects, mixing genres, and? I don't know what they really expect. But Spielbergs' Lincoln is true to it's subject and really bears no relationship to those other two bombs. So I digress. What is next year going to bring? Gerorge Washington being abducted by aliens?
Sorry, back to the task at hand which is to review this brand new film directed by Steven Spielberg who in my opinion is the greatest director of his generation. I know some of you may be wondering about George Lucas, Brian de Palma, among others. I feel that Speilberg has a mastery to use cinema, to tell the story, across many genres, and when he wants to, is genius in doing so. And as long as I am handing out accolades, 55 year old Daniel Day-Lewis is the finest actor of his generation. Yes, Tom Hanks has won more awards but when I see Tom Hanks in a film I see Tom Hanks, doing a great job no doubt. But Day-Lewis actually becomes the characters in his films. He never seems to be the same in anything and once again in this film the BECOMES Abraham Lincoln. In his portrayal he does not disspiont.
With the set design, lighting, camera angles, composition, and I can't stress enough the lighting, one feels like they are transported back to 1864-65. Peering with a historical perspective that no other film I recall can match. You can feel the chill in the White House, which of course is heated with wood burning fireplaces. The only lighting available at the time was candle light or oil burning lamps. Thus all the night scenes are dimly lit and must reflect what it was like back in those days. The interiors of the White House are decorated in period and it is striking at how this film has a look like no other set in the same time frame. All of the actors, are on their A game. As far as Day-Lewis? He is other worldly, not only capturing the look, but the vocal inflection, movement, and body language of the 16th president.
OK, that is what is great about this film. But I also found this film lacking in many ways. For starters I am a history buff and have done a lot of reading about the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln.
When I saw the first trailer for Lincoln I became very excited to see this film given that it's directed by Spielberg. In U.S. history Lincoln is a mythical figure who is on a par with George Washington. There is such a plethora of information "out there" about Lincoln and his life that I was expecting a sweeping epic worthy of such a man. This is really where I was let down. Instead, we are given a plot that is totally focused on the last four months of Lincoln's life. During this time everyone realizes the war is probably winding down and he becomes obsessed with the passage and enactment of the 13th Amendent to the Constitution, abolishing slavery. The film shows Lincoln as a master politician working behind the scenes with his cadre of supporters to acquire the votes in congress to achieve his goal. I don't think congress has of the mid 1800's has ever been this accurately depicted in film Congressmen not only openly fight and argue, they resort to insults and name calling. Sort of reminded me of our congress today. All this is interesting enough but I just felt like I was short changed.
As with all historical films, nothing is going to really be a surprise. We all know how the movie ends. We just don't know how it's going to be shown. I don't like to give details of any film away in a review but I will say that Spielberg has done a masterful job in putting this film together. I read that the original script dealt with the entire Presidency but Spielberg felt that was an impossibility and decided to focus on the final four months of Lincolns life instead of the final four years. I think this may be nit picking but this could have been a GREAT film from Spielberg but instead it is a very good film. With a running time of nearly two and a half hours I certainly think with some creativity he could have shown the evolution of Lincoln through out his Presidency. This would be a great film by almost any other director But Steven, we expect so much more from you. And rightly so.
I give this film a grade of B+
click on link below to see the trailer for Lincoln, sorry about the ad
http://youtu.be/VWpMt2-Z-fc
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