Sunday, November 11, 2012

Lincoln Review

Rated PG-13 (An Intense Scene of War Violence, Some Images of Carnage and Brief Strong Language)

Running Time: 2 Hours & 29 Minutes

Cast-
Daniel Day-Lewis-Abraham Lincoln
Sally Field-Mary Todd Lincoln
Joseph Gordon-Levitt-Robert Todd Lincoln
Gulliver McGrath-Tad Lincoln
David Strathairn-William Seward
Tommy Lee Jones-Thaddeus Stevens
Hal Holbrook-Francis Preston Blair
James Spader-William N. Bilbo
John Hawkes-Robert Latham
Tim Blake Nelson-Richard Schell
Bruce McGill-Edwin Stanton
Lee Pace-Fernando Wood
Peter McRobbie-George Pendleton
Michael Stuhlbarg-George Yeaman
Boris McGiver-Alexander Coffroth
Walton Goggins-Clay Hutchins
Jared Harris-General Ulysses S. Grant
Jackie Earle Haley-Alexander Stephens
Gregory Itzin-John A. Campbell
Gloria Reuben-Elizabeth Keckley
David Oyelowo-Corporal Ira Clark

Directed by Steven Spielberg

Daniel Day-Lewis delivers the year's best performance in Steven Spielberg's latest film, "Lincoln."
'A house divided against itself cannot stand.' Although these words were spoken by Abraham Lincoln 154 years ago in 1858, it remains surprisingly relevant today given the recent presidential election, which was marked by bitter attacks from both sides. It's ironic that director Steven Spielberg chose to release his biographical drama film "Lincoln" at such a polarizing time, and what's remarkable is that it shows how little our country's politics have changed in the last 150 years. Much has been already said about Lincoln, who has attained a near-mythological status, rising from relative obscurity through honest hard work to lead the United States through one of the bloodiest wars in history and end slavery at the same time. Despite the title, Spielberg's film does not focus on Lincoln's life but instead on a pivotal moment of his presidency: the passing of the Thirteenth Amendment and the end of the American Civil War. While it feels more suited as a stage play than as a film, "Lincoln" remains a compelling and poignant portrait of an American legend thanks to another superb performance from Daniel Day-Lewis. 

It is 1865 and the Civil War rages on in its fourth year with no end in sight. Visiting a Union Army camp, President Abraham Lincoln (Daniel Day-Lewis) listens to two African American soldiers recount a recent battle against the Confederates. The younger of the two soldiers expresses his desire to move up the ranks and maybe work for Lincoln himself one day, which makes Lincoln smile with pride. Two white soldiers, newly enlisted, approach Lincoln and proclaim their admiration of him by reciting the Gettysburg Address from memory. However, they become flustered and forget the last sentence, leaving the younger African American soldier to recite the final line. Returning to the White House, Lincoln begins to push for the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment which will formally abolish slavery. To gather the necessary two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives, Secretary of State William Seward (David Strathairn) enlists the aid of three lobbyists, William N. Bilbo (James Spader), Robert Latham (John Hawkes), and Richard Schell (Tim Blake Nelson), to convince several Democrats to either switch or abstain their votes. As Seward works to get the Amendment passed, Lincoln faces trouble at home, with eldest son Robert (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) frustrated at his parent's refusal to let him join the Union Army and help in the war effort while First Lady Mary Todd (Sally Field) continues to mourn the death of their son Willie a few years earlier. The weary President finds solace in the arms of young Tad (Gulliver McGrath), who often runs amok in the White House dressed in the attire of a Union soldier. Meanwhile, the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment hits a snag when rumors of a peace delegation from the Confederacy reach the ears of Lincoln's Cabinet. Lincoln is faced with a difficult choice: save the lives of thousands of soldiers by ending the Civil War now or grant freedom to the millions of slaves living in the South by passing the Thirteenth Amendment first. 

"Lincoln" is an atypical biopic, focusing less on our nation's sixteenth President and more on the difficulty in getting the Thirteenth Amendment ratified. What's striking about Spielberg's film is that the politics of 1865 is no different from the politics of today, although Republicans were ironically seen as 'radical' with their anti-slavery views while Democrats quoted the Bible to justify their conservative values. Seeing the two factions bicker in the House of Representatives invites quite a few eerie comparisons to our time. At one point, New York Congressman Fernando Wood (Lee Pace) proclaims that 'Congress must never declare equal those whom GOD created unequal,' which recalls the current issue of same-sex marriage, with those who oppose it often citing religious reasons. Written by playwright Tony Kushner and based on Doris Kearns Goodwin's 2005 biography Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, the depiction of Lincoln himself leans toward the saintly kind as he moves about delivering humorous anecdotes, poking and prodding his men to do what is morally right. However, he's not exactly the 'Honest Abe' that we've read about in school as he is forced to resort to less-than savory means to get the Amendment passed. This means having his closest confidante, Secretary of State William Seward, employ three lobbyists to basically bribe (called 'patronage') twenty Democrats to either abstain from voting or switch sides. Lobbying hasn't changed much in modern times and continues to be a controversial practice, even if you're fighting for a good cause. This leads to a hilarious montage that includes one Democrat shooting at Spader's William N. Bilbo. In order to buy enough time, Lincoln even asks General Ulysses S. Grant (Jared Harris) to delay the Confederate peace delegation and lies to the Democrats that there is no such peace offer on the table. This in no way demonizes Lincoln but instead emphasizes the fact that he knew how to play the political game, which sometimes meant getting your hands dirty. As soft-spoken as he was, there was a fire within Lincoln and he wasn't afraid to show it, slamming his hand on the table during a powerful scene where he orders his Cabinet to stop squabbling and do what is necessary to get the Amendment through. The story's narrow focus lends "Lincoln" a stage-bound feel, with much the drama taking place behind closed doors yet it maintains a grasp on the cinematic thanks to Janusz KamiƄski's cinematography, where sun rays pierce through the windows of the White House, inviting a rustic ambience that is occasionally interrupted by the horrors of war. Since this is a historical film, we already know that the Thirteenth Amendment did pass but Kushner and Spielberg still manage to create an atmosphere of suspense as the votes are slowly tallied up, juxtaposed with scenes of Lincoln quietly sitting in his office as his son Tad runs about. The film ends with his inevitable assassination and yes, we know its coming but it still hits you emotionally. 'Now he belongs to the ages,' a mournful Edwin Stanton (Bruce McGill) remarks. There are times when Spielberg indulges in moments of schmaltz but he treats Abraham Lincoln with the respect and reverence that he deserves, serving as a reminder of what democracy can accomplish when you have a leader who leads with words

Daniel Day-Lewis, what more can be said about him? No amount of praise can describe his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln, which ranks as the best performance of the year, no contest. Tall, lanky, his face wrinkled from the burdens of leading a fractured country, it's as if Lincoln himself was still alive. Lewis captures the humble and quiet dignity of the man but also his frustrations as he struggles to not only keep his troubled wife from falling apart but also his Cabinet. Sally Field is excellent as Lincoln's long-suffering wife, Mary Todd, while David Strathairn is the voice of reason as William Seward. Joseph Gordon-Levitt pops up briefly as eldest son Robert Todd Lincoln but his screen-time is too limited to make much of an impression. Tommy Lee Jones, the only actor able to hold the screen with Lewis, is enjoyable and at times hilarious as hardline Republican abolitionist Thaddeus Stevens, who is a force of nature in the House Chamber yet can be self-deprecating when he needs to be, such as mocking himself for wearing an obviously terrible wig. James Spader, John Hawkes, and Tim Blake Nelson make for a fun trio as three lobbyists working in secret to get the Thirteenth Amendment passed, offering a birds-eye view of the history being made before their eyes. A number of familiar faces such as Jared Harris, Jackie Earle Haley, Gregory Itzin, and Walton Goggins have minor supporting roles, adding to the already incredible talent on display. 

In limited release since November 9, 2012, "Lincoln" has received critical acclaim with 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics hailed it as a 'witty, dignified portrait of [an] American icon that immerses the audience in its world and entertains even as it informs.' The audience greeted the film with applause at the advance screening this past Thursday, with many staying through the end credits to listen to John William's score. It may have only been shown in eleven theaters but "Lincoln" had an impressive per-theater average of $81,818 this past weekend, which suggests a healthy run at the box office. Its character-driven drama and stage-bound quality won't appeal to everyone but "Lincoln" is an excellent film in its own right thanks to the subtle gravitas Daniel Day-Lewis lends to this great historical figure. I bet Lincoln himself would be proud of Spielberg's film if he was still alive today.

Final Rating: 5 out of 5

"We are stepped out upon the world stage now, the fate of human dignity in our hands. Blood's been spilled to afford us this moment, NOW, NOW, NOW!"