Review of "Lincoln"

I've had my share of history-obsessed friends and I've noticed that they all tend to adore Abraham Lincoln, the man most famous for abolishing slavery and pretty much destroying the livelihood for the South. Obviously it was necessary, but it's still true.

The opening scene is beautiful, albeit quite violent. Genuinely grueling combat is shown with a long, intimate sweep of the battlefield: men engaging in bare-knuckle warfare, choking and kicking with everything they have. It's raw. Eventually, however, a soft voice soaking with dignity breaks through and we are introduced to a shadowy seated figure with a tall hat. As Lincoln converses with soldiers, trying to learn from the patriots fighting for him, the sterling compassion in his face engages the viewer, allowing us to empathize with the soldiers and feel the deep admiration. A pair of die-hard fans-turned-soldiers recite the Gettysburg Address before him, pure love shining in their young eyes. Yet Lincoln's humble demeanor remains unbroken.

Lincoln
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones
Directed by Steven Spielberg
My Opinion: Wonderful.

I'll be honest, the entire film moves very slowly, careful not to miss a beat in the story that follows Lincoln's last days and the passing of the 13th amendment. However, the script is delectably elegant and smooth. If you have the attention span, and I'm surprised I did, you will be touched with the flowing language and the alluring wit.

I can't tell if the script aided in making this Lincoln so friendly and dignified, because Daniel Day-Lewis's performance is simply  effortless. I've become accustomed to that overbearing passion he usually displays (There Will Be Blood, Gangs of New York, My Left Foot). Here, however, I was pleasantly surprised with the soft smile and that subtle glimmer in his eye. His performance is delicate but bone-deep. I can't imagine him ever being able to break himself out of the character. It seems so incredibly natural and when he's on the screen, he enforces a Clockwork Orange kind of focus. No one could have replaced him.

Surprisingly, Day-Lewis doesn't quite steal the show. Sally Field's wringing hands and quivering lip articulate Mary Todd to a T. Her performance, like Day-Lewis's, is all in the details, but her aggressiveness grants her a spotlight of her own. Naturally, all the hoopla has surrounded Tommy Lee Jones - as it should. I've always been a fan of his hardened features and dignified droops but the his quiet expressions are captivating in every shot in which he appears.

Like I said, this film moves slowly. You need to be sincerely interested and have a decent understanding of the Civil War and of Congressional law in order to follow it. However, it is really wonderful and I have nothing  ill to say. Spielberg has a real treasure here, and I'm feeling pretty fine about that. It's been a while.