As if There Will Be Blood (which I will be reviewing soon) wasn't enough, Day-Lewis thought it would be a good idea to take on the role of the US President and then get an Academy Award for Best Actor later as a result of his incredible performance. I say, good on him!
With the tensions of civil war growing, thousands have lost their lives. It's now up to President Lincoln to see to its conclusion. But at the same time, Lincoln faces the pressures of bringing the 13th Amendment to pass, thereby abolishing slavery in the nation. Spielberg chose to explore this buffer of time based on the book, "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln" - to which he wanted the film rights from the very beginning. Smart guy Spielberg saw it coming. Now, Liam Neeson was originally attached to the project but turned it down, allowing Daniel Day-Lewis to come in for the kill. He does a terrific job of killing it.
In Lincoln, Honest Abe is old, tired, and depressed yet wise as ever. I loved how his wisdom ended up being the highlight of every confrontation he has. The movie depicts Lincoln with a habit of telling stories whenever a problem arises. Hidden deep within these stories is a moral, a resolution to the problem he's facing and Lincoln uses these to make his point. Such a nice touch, I thought. He is always one step ahead of his rivals no matter how close he gets to losing the fight to abolish slavery. Oh, and this movie takes place after 'For the people, by the people...' speech at Gettysburg if you don't already know. So people are already accustomed to having Lincoln around and so you never see that moment where people go 'OMG It's the President! Get out of the way!' Y'know what I mean? Lincoln isn't a celebrity anymore, he's just one of the guys trying to make things right and not getting sidetracked by his emotions. Day-Lewis does an amazing job portraying the inner emotions of this character through his charisma and silence.
Steven Spielberg's biographical drama is an astonishing blend of wit, drama, and a bit of comic relief here and there established by some brilliant characters.
Featuring scores that perfectly illuminate each scene be it a courthouse debate or battle, Lincoln isn't a visual masterpiece. It's a tale of one man's struggle to put up with depression caused by his young child's death, and coming to terms with the belief that it is his destiny to abolish slavery, and I quote "for unborn millions to come."
No comments:
Post a Comment