'LINCOLN'

'LINCOLN' (PG-13) (3 STARS)

Written by Tony Kushner based on the book "Team of Rivals" by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Actors: Daniel Day Lewis, Tommy Lee Jones, Sally Field, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, David Strathairn, James Spader, John Hawkes.

I wasn't much of a fan of history class when I went to school but I learned to love it when watching historical movies. I was excited that Steven Spielberg was tackling the last few months of President Lincoln's political career. Here was a filmmaker that could make something exciting out of Lincoln's efforts to try to stop the Civil War and pass an amendment that would abolish slavery. Now with Daniel Day Lewis playing Lincoln I knew I was in for a treat. I am happy to report that Day Lewis is pitch perfect and wonderful as Lincoln but sad to report I think Spileberg could have done a little better.

"Lincoln" does concentrate on the last months of Lincoln's presidency and his struggle with passing an amendment to abolish slavery. I am glad that this was not a biopic and was excited thinking that Spielberg would make Lincoln's fight to pass the amendment fascinating and thrilling. I loved a lot of scenes in the House of Representatives as stubborn Democrats fought Lincoln all the way on the amendment. Many of his opponents thought Lincoln was a rube and a country Hick and was in way over his head. There are some great scenes of griping, fighting and insults being thrown around in the House between the Democrats and Republicans. I bet you thought that back then it was all civil and boring in the political arena?

The film starts off on a very solid note concentrating on this fight and Lincoln the man. Daniel Day Lewis is amazing, as expected, as Lincoln capturing his easy manner and high pitched voice. Of course we don't know what Lincoln sounded like back then but Lewis is so good I bet he sounds just like him! Lincoln was a farmer and was very underestimated because of that. What we see thanks to Spielberg and Day Lewis was that Lincoln was a very smart, stubborn, kind man who was also a great family man. That is why I think he was one of our best presidents, he knew how to talk to people. There is a beautifully shot and written scene in the beginning of the movie as Lincoln talks to some soldiers on the front line. Lincoln was a man that put everyone at ease but could get fired up when needed. I think Daniel Day Lewis is wonderful here and his performance is the real reason to see this movie.

I also loved the performance by Tommy Lee Jones as abolitionist Thaddeus Stevens and Jones gives award caliber work here. I also appreciated the performances by James Spader, funny and hammy here as a chief negotiator and David Strathairn who is wonderful as William Seward, his Secretary of State. So far so good but as "Lincoln" moves along in it's second half I think it loses it's way. The performances are still there but the movie becomes dull and labored and I think a few scenes should have been cut. It feels stagy in the last hour and more like a history lesson. I love the scenes in the House where the Democrats and Republicans fight it out but I think Spielberg could have done better tightening those scenes up. I wanted more suspense and energy, more like the movie "Moneyball" which made dialogue more suspenseful with it's subject matter.

I think Spielberg gets more carried away with scenes dealing with Lincoln's home life. Now I do like the scenes where Lincoln shows how much he loves his sons. Though I do think that the scenes with Day Lewis and Sally Field as Mary Todd are weak and distracting. I also thought the relationship with Abraham and his son Robert(Joseph Gordon-Levitt) was under developed. I like the first half of Tony Kushner's writing but think that he slips in developing some of he scenes of Lincoln's home life throughout. I just felt that some energy and poignancy was missing in the latter part of the movie.

Now I do love the performances by Daniel Day Lewis, Tommy Lee Jones and James Spader. I love a lot of the cinematography and I appreciate some beautiful shots by Spielberg who doesn't know how not to shoot a movie. There are some great scenes in "Lincoln" and maybe I should have liked it more, I expect some will love it. All I know is that I felt the movie was too dull in spots and I was dissapointed that Spielberg didn't put more juice in it. Maybe with this and Robert Redford's dud "The Conspirator" I just don't like movies set in this period of time. I think the movie is worth a matinee show just to see how wonderful Daniel Day Lewis is. I also think that there is a certain audience that will love this. I just thought the movie could get dull and tedious too many times for my taste.