Lincoln - Directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Tony Kushner, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lee Pace, Bruce McGill, James Spader, John Hawkes, and David Straithern - Rated PG-13
It’s strange. Abraham
Lincoln has been all over Hollywood lately, yet there has not been a real story
told about him in decades. I’ve seen his
assassination recreated in National Treasure: Book of Secrets and The
Conspirator, and he’s even battled the undead in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire
Hunter (a very fun book, by the way, but a disappointingly dull film). Lincoln can be killed over and over and be
turned into a superhero, but he can’t be a man.
The way Hollywood has avoided tackling the man is a statement on where
Abraham Lincoln fits into America’s history.
He is not a man, but a legend.
It’s hard to even think about Lincoln as a human being, which is what
most likely has scared off many filmmakers.
Thankfully, Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushner, and Daniel Day-Lewis stepped
up to make a film about a man, and it turned out to be a brilliant film on
every level.
The main reason that Lincoln not only meets but also
exceeds expectations is that it is not a traditional biography of the man. We do not see Lincoln growing up in the log
cabin or courting Mary Todd. We don’t
even see his youngest son die, which is something that happened in the White
House. Lincoln, rather than taking the
arguably boring broad view, focuses on Lincoln trying to get the Thirteenth
Amendment (the abolition of slavery) passed near the end of the Civil War in
order to make sure that the war has at least served a lasting purpose. Believe it or not, the passage of an
amendment in the House of Representatives turned out to be far more interesting
and entertaining than a life story.
Story and focus is important, but a film like this hinges on
a single performance. Once Daniel
Day-Lewis was announced to play Lincoln, it seemed perfect. Who else but the lanky, gaunt method actor
could portray Abraham Lincoln with any seriousness? (Liam Neeson was attached at one point. A good physical choice, for sure, but I’m not
sure how it would have turned out.) As
an admitted fanboy of Day-Lewis (I count his performances in The Crucible,
Gangs of New York, and There Will Be Blood among the best of all time), I
became very excited about this film.
When the first picture was released, it was almost creepy how much he
looked like the President. Then the
preview was released and I finally heard the voice; I was sold.
Abraham Lincoln, according to historical reports, had a
high-pitched voice with a Midwest twang that some even described as painful to
listen to. He was not a booming,
baritone giant as many have imagined him over the years. When I first heard Day-Lewis’s take on the
voice, the history buff in me was very pleased.
After watching the entire performance, the film critic in me was amazed. It’s no shock that Day-Lewis completely
inhabited the character of Lincoln, but I was surprised by how much Lincoln was
able to be portrayed as a human, rather than a legend. As Lincoln tells his funny stories and plays
with his son, you start to forget you’re watching a portrayal of one of the
most beloved political icons in the history of the world. You realize you’re watching a man.
I was afraid when this project was first announced that it
would be a film that simply added to the legend. Steven Spielberg is a director I love, but I
wasn’t sure he could create a very interesting film about Lincoln. I thought he might sugarcoat the subject or
just give a gung-ho “Go America!” movie.
While I did leave the theater quite proud of my country, it certainly
wasn’t because I just witnessed some propaganda. It was because I had seen a film about one of
our greatest politicians fighting for a noble cause. It didn’t hurt that the film turned out to be
quite funny, as well.
The humor of Lincoln will most likely be the most
surprising part of the viewing experience.
The images and previews for the film have sold it as this somber,
serious portrait of a man and a mission to end slavery, and it is slightly
that, but it also takes backroom politics (trading favors and promising jobs)
and turns it into entertaining spectacle.
The humor is nearly deceitful, though, as it overshadows the fact that
votes for the Amendment are basically purchased. Under normal circumstances, that would create
moments of internal struggle, but the topic up for debate is slavery. The question posed (and pretty much answered)
both onscreen and off is whether or not the end justifies the means. It seems like the typical answer to that
issue in film these days is that individual good is more important than the big
picture. Thankfully, Lincoln makes no
bones about the fact that ending slavery is the right thing to do, even if a
few “wrong” things are done to achieve this.
More importantly, the humor makes Lincoln a feel-good, fun
experience. The laughs are
well-deserved, too. Lincoln’s stories
are always amusing, especially when told with Day-Lewis’s energy. Writer Tony Kushner has crafted a very tight
script, dialogue-wise. Lincoln's stories
and speeches are great, but the debates on the House floor are equally
compelling and entertaining. Sure, most
of this can be chalked up to historical record, but if you actually research
the words of the time, it is still impressive that Kushner was able to piece
all of this together in a coherent and interesting fashion.
Riveting political speeches on paper are one thing, but the
words float off meaningless if not for a good performance. I have already stated my awe of Day-Lewis,
and the rest of the cast deserves plenty of praise. Tommy Lee Jones is a standout as Thaddeus
Stevens. In the previews, we are given a
cheesy scene in which he addresses a group of people, “Abraham Lincoln has
asked us to work with him to accomplish the death of slavery,” waving his cane
with each word to prove his sincerity.
Taken out of context, that looks like a scene that belongs in the film I
was afraid had been made. He is actually
being a bit sarcastic in this moment and it is part of an overall wonderful
performance as Stevens represents the character that does have to struggle with
the decision to be dishonest for the greater good. Sally Field, David Straithern, Lee Pace, and
Bruce McGill round out the heavier parts of the cast, but the list could go
on. Lincoln is certainly one of the
finest casts of 2012.
The film is tied together with a John Williams score (this is
a Spielberg film, after all), and it is the perfect bow to put on top of this
great film. Lincoln provides the
complete movie package. It is
interesting and informative, it's entertaining (surprisingly so), and it
showcases some powerhouse performances.
If pressed, I could probably give you a couple of things to complain
about, but looking back on the film, I can't really single out any real
issues. Simply put, Lincoln is my
favorite film of the year.
Random Thoughts (SPOILERS)
I want to clarify that bit about being a little deceitful to gain something important. Usually, the lesson of the film is that if you are willing to sell your soul a little bit, then you can become totally evil. Telling one white lie could lead to the downfall of mankind. What a joke. Compromising your values in a small way to gain something greater is an American tradition. It is a good trait to showcase on film? Absolutely not. Is it realistic? Yep. I found it refreshing that Thaddeus Stevens had to swallow his pride and lie to get what he wanted all along. Maybe that isn't heroic by Hollywood standards, but that's the point. Life is all about picking your battles, and in reality, you don't get rewarded for nitpicking.
