We have a tendency in this country to portray our greatest historical leaders as something akin to divinity. The Founding Fathers are seen as all-knowing harbingers of democracy and justice, when the truth is they were as flawed and unsure as the rest of us. We put their faces on our money, chisel them into the sides of mountains, and depict them in the most polished fashion possible. Abraham Lincoln is no different, and perhaps more so than any other has seen his legacy defined in a squeaky clean elementary school manner. He's known merely as the guy who freed the slaves simply because it was the right thing to do, and this simplistic interpretation of events actually diminishes the power of the reality, that he was an incredible politician capable of swaying hearts and minds but not above the occasional dirty deal.
Few films have inspired quite the
mixed emotions for me as Steven Spielberg's Lincoln. Based on historian
Doris Kearns Goodwin's novel, the film is thoughtful, virtuous,
well-researched, and immaculately authentic, features nothing but remarkable
performances, and also portrays Lincoln in a fair-minded way. As a history
lesson, it's about as good a look at Honest Abe's political career as you're
likely to find. But it's also overly talky and slow-moving, with long stretches
that are as dry and musty as Lincoln's stovetop hat.Beginning with the sort of dreamy, sentimental moment Spielberg has mastered like no other, as Lincoln(Daniel Day-Lewis) sees a reflection of America's true potential in the patriotic spirit of a black Union soldier(David Oyelowo) heading off to fight in the raging Civil War. The film follows the last four months of Lincoln's life as the fighting that has ripped the nation in half continues unabated. The Emancipation Proclamation has been passed, but Lincoln is taking it a step further with a Constitutional amendment that would see all slaves freed once and for all. Less interested in the on field battles than the verbal sparring in the House of Representatives, the story mostly follows the backroom dealing, dirty tactics, and bloated ideologies on both sides that made coming to an agreement nearly impossible. Fiery speeches from the hard right conservative Democrats and the liberal Republicans denote not only how much our politics has changed over the years, but also how much it hasn't, as Fernando Wood (Lee Pace) and Thaddeus Stevens (Tommy Lee Jones) seem mostly interested in building their own reputations than finding any actual solutions. Meanwhile, Lincoln is driving his Secretary of State William Seward (David Strathairn) with impossible demands, while also hiring a trio of political operatives (Tim Blake Nelson, John Hawkes, and an indistinguishable James Spader) to strong-arm a few votes. People would be a lot more interested in politics if it were quite as entertaining and contentious as it was back in the day. Put it on C-SPAN, let Vince McMahon promote it and the people would love it.
Dozens of top notch actors and actresses shuffle in and out of the story as various historical figures: Michael Stuhlbarg, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Sally Field, the always-great Hal Holbrook, Jackie Earl Haley and many are uniformly excellent in a true acting showcase. There are so many characters that it's hard to keep up with who is truly significant and who is just popping in for a cameo. They should've dropped one or two and gave Tommy Lee Jones' passionate performance a little more shine. The same can be said of Daniel Day-Lewis' portrayal as Lincoln, which may catch a lot of people off guard. It's no surprise that Lewis towers above all past versions of the character, as he's again found a way to capture the soul and the spirit of the man and do it in a way that is uniquely his own. His Lincoln is soft-spoken, quietly commanding, and always capable of saying just the right thing at the right time, whether it is a verse of scripture or an off-color joke.
Tony Kushner's script proves to be the film's greatest detriment. He's always been a writer in desperate need of an army of editors, and here the dialogue grinds the momentum to a screeching halt far too often. This works during some of the boisterous exchanges on the floors of Congress, but it's unbearable during the quiet, tense moments between Lincoln and his wife (Field) and son (Gordon-Levitt). While we're made to understand the political motivations of Lincoln's quest, we don't learn enough about the man to understand all that much about what drives him personally.
Backed by John Williams' overbearing score, Lincoln is equal parts greatness and disappointment. It sounds old hat to say that Daniel Day-Lewis has set himself apart from the pack in the Best Actor race, but there's no denying the power and majesty he brings to bear.
