The year is coming to a close, and studios are scrambling to get their films into theaters. This is not only so the public can absorb them but also so that the various awards groups(AMPAS, Foreign Press, etc) manage to give their films a chance; to decide whether or not to shower the films with gold-molded accolades.
It’s safe to say that Lincoln is one of these films. It’s a totally epic achievement, a juggernaut of a film.
This film is easily the definition of Oscar bait: it boasts a great cast, it’s a period film and it’s about a famous historical figure. It’s also 150 minutes long, which is in typical academy winning fashion. However, to call this film just pure Oscar bait, it seems almost like an insult. The film is so much more, it’s rich, it’s layered, the acting is some of the best I’ve seen in the past few years. In fact, it’s one of Steven Spielberg’s best films yet. By the way, if you need a fantastic(ally horrible) example of Oscar Bait, be sure to check out War Horse(or read my review).
So here’s the plot breakdown: the film details the extremely tense moments leading up to the vote to put the 13th Amendment into power. The film proves successful in showing Lincoln’s struggle, both internally, dealing with family issues, as well as on a national level, trying to unite a country currently ravished by the civil war and securing the vote for the amendment.
The movie is played out will painstaking detail, with all the important characters in check, from Mary Todd Lincoln to Thaddeus Stephens and the rest of the supreme court.
The acting here is utterly immaculate. Daniel Day Lewis, who plays Lincoln here, gives an absolutely flawless performance, possibly one that tops his excellent Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood in 2007. He disappears into the character, in such a way that you almost have to remind yourself that it’s not actually Lincoln we’re watching on screen. Equally as fantastic is Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens, whose performance is nuanced yet hilarious. The rest of the cast all bring their A-games, even if their performances were small. This includes Sally Field, John Hawkes, Hal Holbrook and James Spader.
The filmmaking itself is masterful, we’re seeing the resurgence of a master director, whose last couple films ranged from good(Tintin) to “meh”(Indiana Jones IV) to plain terrible(again, War Horse). The cinematography is bleak and beautiful, reminiscent of the work done on Saving Private Ryan. It’s a welcome return to form for Spielberg, who I’ve missed. Spielberg knows the historical epic genre like the back of his hand, but this one felt more methodical, gentler, like he put more care and concentration to it. Think more Schindler’s List than Empire of the Sun.
Overall, this is a beautiful film. Thanks in part to it’s amazing acting, as well as it’s inspired direction, Lincoln succeeds in ways that a lot of Oscar movies don’t. It feels real, and as a viewer you are emotionally invested to the film until its final moments.
Critics Score(according to Rottentomatoes.com): 91%
My Score: 9.5/10
