What's it all About? Can Lincoln push through the amendment to the constitution that will make slaves free men? It's kind of a pointless question really as we all know the answer.
Best bits? I wouldn't that there's one particular highlight but the overall package is very well produced.
Did it make you think thoughts? Let's get one thing straight, Day-Lewis is one hell of an actor and here he puts in another stellar performance. I can't say whether or not he nails the true Lincoln persona as I have zero reference point for knowing how this great historical figure actually acted but I do know he's probably already written his oscar speech.
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| The War Room. 'Get me those votes' |
Elsewhere Tommy Lee Jones is miscast as Senator Thaddeus Stevens. I'm not sure what it is but I just can't take him seriously in that role. On the positive side, Sally Field is great as Mrs Lincoln. Fiery, powerful and a fantastic foil to the stoic single minded Mr Lincoln.
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| This Gordon-Levitt guy pops up everywhere |
My main beef with this film is that not much actually happens. Don't believe all those glowing 5-star reviews that you'e undoubtedly seen on the tv, the web and in print proclaiming this as the greatest thing since sliced bread for it most certainly is not (that award goes to either peanut butter or Batman). A more accurate description would be that it plays like a dry history lesson with an over abundance of talking heads which is a shame because what I really wanted was a cradle-to-croak biopic not just a snap shot section of Abe's life.
It may sound like I'm giving this a bit of a bashing but I did like it and Spielberg has crafted a compelling if not fascinating look at a key moment in American history.
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| Oops, wrong film |
Rating (out of 100%): Two films delving into the horrid world of slavery have been released recently and this is the second best one. I give Lincoln a good but not great 72%
Better than: Amistad (1997)
Worse than: Django Unchained (2012)
