Lincoln

Right away I should warn you all that I am a big history buff. I am always worried when I go see historical movies because I want them to be true to history. The people of the past deserve that respect. That being said I had high hopes for Lincoln. I must say Steven Spielberg delivered on every level of the film.

I thought the movie was going to be a biopic on the life of Lincoln and I was wrong. The movie takes place during the two or three weeks before the signing on the 13th Amendment ending slavery in America. The Civil War is nearing an end as the South is weary from years of fighting. Now is the time that Lincoln wants to fight for the rights of Slaves.

We see Lincoln, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, as not only a President but as a father and a husband. We see his relationship with his young son Tad Lincoln, played by the adorable Gulliver McGrath. We see the tarnished relationship with his oldest son Robert, played by the talented Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Robert wants to fight in the war and feels like he is dishonoring the men fighting by standing aside and doing nothing. We also see Mary Lincoln as she tries to keep herself together. After loosing their youngest son she has been an emotional train wreck. She doesn't know how to deal with the loss and even thinking of losing her other son brings her to a panic attack. This character is brilliant played by Sally Field, she brings such a compassion and sadness to Mary that you feel in every scene.

This film is filled with amazing actors that bring such passion and life to these historical men and women. Tommy Lee Jones plays Thaddeus Stephens a man who has been fighting for African American rights for years. The 13th Amendment is something he feels is long past due. James Spader is W.N. Bilbo a man hired to try and find  more men for the 13th Amendment. He is not afraid to take less than legal ways around to get what he wants. David Strathaim plays William Seward a man that believes in Lincoln and will support him publicly till the rapture. Even if he doesn't believe in it privately he supports his command in chief. I think my favorite character is played by the always surprising Lee Pace as Fernando Wood. Mr. Wood is against the 13th Amendment and is incredibly verbal about it. Lee Pace brings this despicable man to life and he is very charismatic. It is not surprising to see people follow his policies because he is a great politician.

The cast goes on and on with Oscar winner and nominees galore! The movie is historic and is fully dependent on the dialog. The movie does get a bit slow and a little long. Still a great movie that I encourage you to try and watch.

My favorite part about the movie is how human it man Lincoln. He wasn't this purified vision of what Lincoln was but the flawed and human man fighting for what he believes in. You see him playing with his son and telling dirty jokes to his cabinet. You see the troubled pain in his eyes and the fear in his voice. You see how much he wants equality and how far ahead of his time he is. Daniel Day-Lewis makes Lincoln Human again. He is not this idea of a perfect martyred man, he is just a flawed as the rest of us.

I must say that this movie came out at the perfect time. This is a time in our country where change is in the air and no matter who you voted for, it was historic. In the movie there is an African American soldier that says in a few years they will have freedom, in 50 years the Vote, and in a hundred maybe someone in office. It gave me chills just thinking how backwards it all seemed. How sad it is that way of thinking was held on for so long. It makes me wonder in a hundred and fifty years what will they think of us. We need to learn from the past to give hope to our future.

Over all -B+