Hardly a week goes by without an explosion-riddled blockbuster on the big screens, yet Lincoln manages to be equally riveting despite its focus on political intrigue.
Lincoln tells the story of the last four months of Abraham Lincoln’s life, focusing on his efforts to ratify the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which banned slavery. Lincoln (Daniel Day-Lewis) also deals with tension within his own family, particularly his unstable wife Mary Todd Lincoln (Sally Field).
Day-Lewis’s understated portrayal of Lincoln differs from our usual conception of the 16th president. Nevertheless, Day-Lewis manages to rebuild that notion by demonstrating Lincoln’s ability to be politically cunning while preserving his morals.
One of the most interesting relationships in the movie arises between Lincoln and Thaddeus Stevens (Tommy Lee Jones), a senior member of the radical Republican Party. Lincoln and Stevens share a mutual desire to see the 13th Amendment passed. Stevens, however, is unwilling to compromise his principled stance by cooperating with other factions in Congress.
Lincoln, while generally serious, has light-hearted banter between members of Congress as the amendment is debated. Stevens delivers a thundering tirade against the leader of the Democratic party, calling him “more reptile than man.”
With solid performances from all the actors, there’s talk of Lincoln winning some Oscars. Regardless of the accolades it receives, it is one of the best films this season. Lincoln skillfully portrays a president who, for all his fame, rarely makes appearances on screen.
Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln opened Nov. 16 and is still showing at RMC South County Cinemas in Jacksonville.