Lincoln (2012)

Steven Spielberg's Lincoln is (quit wisely) not an attempt at a life spanning bio-pic of Abe, nor does it focuses on one of the better known episodes from his Presidency, like his handling of the Fort Sumter crises or The Gettysburg Address, rather the film focuses on Lincoln's skills as a politician. Politician here is meant in perhaps its least negative sense, the film which is based in part on Doris Kearns Goodwin's Pulitzer Prize winning examination of Lincolns political skill Team of Rivals, focuses on the behind the scenes efforts in January of 1865 that resulted in the passage of the definitively slavery ending 13th Amendment to the US Constitution. Daniel Day-Lewis plays Lincoln ethereal but shrewd, I think a lot can be said for the unique high raspy voice he gives his Abraham.

At the start of the film the war is going so well for the Union that Lincoln fears the Confederacy might sue for peace before the newly elected Republican congress can take there seats in March. Lincoln knows that the people are tired of war, and if the south offers to surrender in return for keeping there slaves the public might just force him to accept that offer, and Lincoln is desperate to get the slavery issue decided once and for all with abolition. There fore Lincoln employs a diverse group of characters, congressman, political operatives, cabinet members, and even his wife in an effort to cajole lam duck Democrats and shoehorn in the amendment before a forthcoming Confederate peace delegation can arrive in Washington. The film is full of interesting, real-life characters who are largely lesser known, and who give a gamut of our greater character actors juicy roles with which to chew. David Stratharin, Hal Holbrook, Tommy Lee Jones, James Spader, Salley Field, Michael Stuhlbarg, Bruce McGill and many others get to put on that 19th century make up and have a fun time just acting. This is a very talkie movie, very little action per-say, but it's engaging throughout and quite fascinating in being a big budget, all-star vehicle, that one can easily imagine ending up as a stage play adaptation on PBS. Really rather refreshing. ***1/2