Lincoln: A Review

WARNING: Spoilers Ahead

Two of my great loves, film and history, came together in one of Steven Spielberg's most important and what may end up being his most underrated film, Lincoln. There are too many things that I love about this film to fit into one review. Lincoln deserves a frame by frame breakdown to give it justice. I'm sure that in the coming months and years there will be countless academic essays and articles written about the choices and style used by Spielberg, Lewis, Jones, and Field, but let's stick with general strokes for right now.

Normally I would start with Spielberg and his choices in the film, but I have to put that off to laud Daniel Day-Lewis for his original and, by most scholars's opinion, historically accurate depiction of our sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln. The first and most noticeable difference between Lewis's depiction of Lincoln and other characterization is the voice he chose. In nearly all other depictions of Lincoln his voice is deep and robust, commanding attention with sheer force. Lewis, however, makes the very conscious choice to give Lincoln a softer, almost high-pitched tone, without sacrificing any command of a stage or room in which Lincoln speaks. His ability to convey a sense of power while maintaining an almost tender vocal tone is further added to in the few moments when Lincoln does raise his voice. The most notable scene that illustrates this point takes place when Lincoln is receiving counsel from his Cabinet that he should withdraw his push to get the 13th Amendment passed. After hearing their pleadings, Lewis casts off his tender toned Lincoln and wraps himself in the Titan like imagery and sound that is always associated with the power and awe of Abraham Lincoln. The audio below is an edited excerpt from the response Lincoln gives his Cabinet.

Compare that audio with this short monologue from Lewis's softer side of Lincoln.

Even the way Lewis characterizes Lincoln's walk is unique. It is somehow cumbersome and graceful at the same time. He seems to almost fall onto his front foot, instead of stepping. And even in this slight awkwardness, the gate of his steps is actually able to convey a sense of power as well. Literally everything about the character is a larger-than-life, but remarkably relatable at the same time. It is truly a performance of a lifetime.

Spielberg is as good as ever in his direction of the picture. However, while I recognize the very distinct and conscious choices he made in story and composition, I have this terrible feeling that this film could possibly go down as one of his most underrated and underappreciated works. For example, the film chooses to focus on essentially a one-month timeframe leading up to the vote on the13th Amendment. There is almost no reference to how Lincoln was elected to his first term, nothing at all about his life before politics, and only passing references about some of the most historically important actions of his first term like the Emancipation Proclamation. Not even the Gettysburg Address is viewed directly. Instead, Spielberg uses soldiers who were inspired to join the military after hearing the address to recite the speech back to Lincoln while he is visiting with them at the beginning of the film. In my opinion, it would have been impossible to make a film about Lincoln without hearing the Gettysburg Address. But because of the time frame in which the story is told it would have been possible to actually witness Lincoln delivering the speech at Gettysburg. Others have commented that this introduction felt clunky and somewhat misplaced, especially as it is the first speaking parts of the film, but I have to disagree. For me, it was an absolutely genius way to introduce one of the most important speeches ever given by a politician, even if it was impossible to actually see that speech being given.

I could go on and on about the exemplary supporting performances from Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, and Joseph Gordon–Levitt, but I will just keep it simple and say that all three of them deserve Oscar nominations at the very least. Sally Field brings a fresh take on the often insanity filled representations of Mary Todd, Lincoln's wife. Tommy Lee Jones is nothing short of magnificent as Thaddeus Stevens, a spitfire abolitionist who, in a time when it was considered political suicide, publicly espoused complete equality of all men under the law and considered no race to be above or superior to another. Mr. Stevens was a man literally 100 years ahead of his time, and Jones pulls off this character masterfully. Joseph Gordon–Levitt plays President Lincoln's oldest son, Robert Lincoln, with a fire and verve that is not completely unexpected, but is still pleasantly surprising. Robert Lincoln doesn't appear until about halfway through the film, but when he does you are fully aware of his presence as Gordon–Levitt commands the attention of the audience.

Overall, this is personally my blockbuster of the year. I understand that many do not have the passion for history or complete and total reverence for Abraham Lincoln that I do. I know that I am somewhat “odd” in the extent to which I try to emulate Lincoln, which leads me to question whether the film will stir up passion in others like it has done in me. Nevertheless, one does not have to be obsessed with Lincoln to recognize the beauty of this film. Spielberg puts history in motion and makes it accessible to all.