Lincoln

Lincoln

Rated PG-13 and Released 11/16/12

Reviewed 11/19/12 at Celebration Cinema North in Grand Rapids, MI

with Gary, Leigh, Denny, and Aaron

4 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

I saw this movie before I started the blog, but with Oscar nominations out I thought it pertinent to post.

This is not the usual Abraham Lincoln story that focuses on him getting assassinated. This fascinating movie is about one thing - the President emancipating slavery and getting the 13th Amendment passed. The portrayal by Daniel Day Lewis was amazing and he is a shoe in for the Oscar nomination, if not an easy win. Sally Field who played Mary Lincoln was vital to the story and she did a fine job. You would think for 2 1/2 hours with lots of dialogue you could easily lose interest. Not so. The events are crafted so that this timeline through history is like a journey you are rooting for.

It begins shortly after Lincoln was elected to his second term. To say that the President's priority was to add the 13th Amendment to the Constitution to abolish slavery might be understating it. The portrayal of him in this movie showed a man that was consumed and thank goodness for that. He battled his own Cabinet and had to really fight for every single vote of passage. I couldn't help but think that all the politicking that occurs in this story mirrors what happens today. The Republicans holding fast on one side; Democrats on the other side of the spectrum not giving in, at least initially, or they wouldn't have accomplished what they did. The Republicans were on the right side of the tracks in this and working tirelessly for the cause. Congressman Thaddeus Stevens (Tommy Lee Jones) was a scene stealer. There was some humor etched throughout. For example, the scene with James Spader who "worked" for the cause in securing votes brought some laughs of him jogging about. Lincoln is a spectacular period setting and for Abraham Lincoln stories, this is in a class by itself. This is one of the best movie of the year and could be considered one of Director Steven Spielberg's high points in his career. And we all know what that means! Can anyone say "Oscar?"

QUIET Rating system:  JJJJ

Quality: JJJJJ

Understood story:  JJJJ

Interest: JJJJ

Entertainment:  JJJJ

Time:  JJJ