MOVIE REVIEW: Lincoln

Lincoln
(2012)
IMDB

Summary

 In 1865, as the American Civil War winds inexorably toward conclusion, U.S. president Abraham Lincoln endeavors to achieve passage of the landmark constitutional amendment which will forever ban slavery from the United States. However, his task is a race against time, for peace may come at any time, and if it comes before the amendment is passed, the returning southern states will stop it before it can become law. Lincoln must, by almost any means possible, obtain enough votes from a recalcitrant Congress before peace arrives and it is too late. Yet the president is torn, as an early peace would save thousands of lives. As the nation confronts its conscience over the freedom of its entire population, Lincoln faces his own crisis of conscience -- end slavery or end the war.

Review

 Lincoln has everything needed to be a great movie.  A historical figure, an important time in history, one of the best directors, a phenomenal lead actor, and a great supporting casts.  It almost sounds to perfect doesn't it?  Lincoln is a very good movie and there's no denying that, but the problem is that it is carries a pretty long running time and it gets really slow in the middle of the movie.  It seems slow, because this movie is very dialogue driven, so it might be hard for your average moviegoer to sit through, but if you can this will be a movie that you will be talking about because of one man, Daniel Day-Lewis.  He is Lincoln.  The way he walks, the way he talks, he embodies Lincoln and delivers an Oscar winning performance that feels like you are watching history.  The rest of the cast consisting of two great actors in Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones are also on their A game here.  I have heard some say that Tommy Lee Jones steals the show here, but while he is a very likable character and is very good, this is Daniel Day-Lewis' show.  There are a lot of familiar faces (too many to name) that show up in supporting roles in the film and I thought they were all pretty good.  This to me is one of the best ensembles in a movie that I have seen in many years.  Spielberg, like he does most of the time, delivers us a piece of history in more ways than one.
...AND SIMPLY PUT... GO WATCH SOME HISTORY.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. A-


Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, James Spader, Hal Holbrook, John Hawkes, Jackie Earle Haley, Bruce McGill, Tim Blake Nelson, Jared Harris
Director: Steven Spielberg
Rating: PG-13 for an intense scene of war violence, some images of carnage and brief strong language
In Theaters: November 9, 2012 (limited) and November 16, 2012 (nationwide)
On BLU-RAY and DVD: March 26, 2013