Reviews of Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln are long-cemented in Hollywood’s history books, ranking highest among the 2013 Oscar nominations and adding a third Academy Award to the already decorated Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood) as the titular commander-in-chief. The film also gives acclaimed veterans like Tommy Lee Jones (Emperor) as a vociferous Thaddeus Stevens and Sally Field (The Amazing Spider-Man) as a vulnerable and resilient Mary Todd Lincoln another fifteen minutes of well-deserved fame during this year’s awards season.
Yes, there’s been plenty of commentary about the film’s lengthy screen time and dialogue-driven exposition. Despite that, I can’t ignore the fact that Spielberg’s passion project, written by Munich scribe Tony Kushner, serves as probably one of the most poignant and significant depictions of the 16th President of the United States of America, especially during such a politically potent time in our country’s history. The movie spans the final four months of Lincoln’s presidency, which are ultimately cut short by his assassination in 1865.
Going into the film, I expected Spielberg’s trademark stamp of cinematic glory, as seen in such previous breakthroughs like Jaws, Jurassic Park, and War Horse including epic and lustrous landscapes, sweeping musical scores, and triumphant shots of the towering honest Abe in action. However, without disappointment, Spielberg impressively wields the camera, inviting viewer to feel the intimacy in each scene, embracing every exchange of words and obstacle of political opposition that Lincoln met while trying to end the Civil War and abolish slavery with the passing of the Thirteenth Amendment.
Day-Lewis’ portrayal of Lincoln is most effective during those previously described long-winded scenes of dialogue, where little physical action takes place except for energized hand gestures and brow-furrowing interactions. We witness a speaker who is not just trying to enforce equality for all men and unite his country. He transforms into a soft-spoken storyteller, sharing his intelligent sense of humor in the same breath of an anecdote about honor. Additionally, an entertaining juxtaposition to Lincoln’s sweet nature and poised fortitude is Jones as Stevens, a perfect fit for casting. His presence and voice command any room of wigged politicos, especially when making fodder of his foes with grandiose hyperboles and digs of sarcasm.
Not only do we see Lincoln’s a duality in his prowess in the White House, especially alongside David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck.) as Secretary of State William Seward, the story captures the emotionally-charged relationship between a harried Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln. Field’s character believably stands up for her husband’s dignity and objective in public every chance she has, yet behind closed doors, she still mourns the tragic loss of their third son, twelve-year-old Willie, who died three years earlier from typhoid fever. The couple’s frenzied confessions about how they process the torment of their grief is elevated by the fact that their oldest son, Robert, played dutifully by Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Looper), wants to quit Harvard Law School and do his part by defending his country to fight in the war. Here we see Lincoln’s heartfelt conflict between his obligations as the nation’s leader to inspire patriotism and his profound devotion to family in not wanting to lose another son.
When it came to legislation, Spielberg attracted a slew of famous faces to fill a surprisingly colorful House of Representatives and valuable supporting cast, including James Spader (The Office) as attorney W. N. Bilbo, Jared Harris (Mad Men) as General Ulysses S. Grant, Hal Holbrook (Into the Wild) as Preston Blair, John Hawkes (The Sessions) as Robert Latham, Jackie Earl Haley (A Nightmare on Elm Street) as Alexander Stephens, Bruce McGill (Cinderella Man) as Edwin Stanton, Lee Pace (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey) as Fernando Wood, Tim Blake Nelson (O Brother, Where Art Thou?) as Richard Schell, Adam Driver (TV’s Girls) as telegraph operator and Captain Sam Beckwith, Lukas Haas (TV’s Touch) as an unnamed soldier, and Gloria Reuben (ER) as Mary Todd Lincoln’s dressmaker, Elizabeth.
As for the 4-disc combo pack for the home viewer (which includes Blu-Ray + DVD + Digital Copy) any fan of Spielberg’s is in for one seriously thorough history lesson. ‘The Journey to Lincoln’ special feature reveals an endearing look at the making of the film, which all began with a hefty 550-page script by Kushner; however, Spielberg reduced a 70-page section to the present film. Additionally, there is a behind-the-scenes look at the historical significance of shooting in Richmond, Virginia, as well as understanding the vital details of production design, costume, and makeup, which emphasize the authenticity of Lincoln as an icon above all other period films.
My only qualm with the movie is its sudden jump in time from the one afternoon in January when the nation sees its most crucial change to the moments leading up to his departure for the theater on that fateful evening in April. Of course, Lincoln has won, the war is over, and slavery has ended. No spoiler necessary to what we were taught in school. Yet when looking at the movie, I’m left wondering about Spielberg’s vision regarding the Lincoln family dynamic once this turning point in history has transpired. We get such finality from Stevens’ and through the eyes of Lincoln’s butler as the President takes a final walk down a dark White House hallway, a lasting symbol of the greatness of Lincoln’s legacy.
Rating: Lincoln endured a great deal to make history, and Lincoln is worth the endurance. (8/10)
Blu-Ray Review: An overflowing smorgasbord of the production’s secrets, structure, and salute to Spielberg’s admiration for a historical figure still under scrutiny today. (9/10)
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