Review of Lincoln (2012) by Alvaro V — 22 Sep 2014

The acting of Daniel Day-Lewis made this a very good movie rather than just good but it wasn't a great one.This is one case where the acting and a big name actor made a movie better, such is not normally the case with big star actors.

The film is not really a biography about Abraham Lincoln, it is about the passing of the 13th amendment, to strengthen and ratify, the previous declaration of emancipation of slaves by Lincoln in 1863.

This amendment a year later, was to secure by law the abolition of slavery for post war purposes. The movie is based on the book Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin.

The story is how Lincoln's political abilities managed to get this amendment passed. That is where the movie and the title didn't match in a way, but, in a crucial way! Many anticipated this movie to be more biographical of Lincoln and his place in history, for me, I really prefered this "unexpected" story line rather than a biographical one.

The complex story of the passing of the amendment was more interesting but it could have been emphasized even more! The diversity of the polarizing characters involved and how they managed to agree on something should have been highlighted more, as well as the important historical role of the Republican abolitionists and the historical fact that the Democrats were mostly for maintaining slavery, as well as the role or no role of Mary Todd and Seward's real power of influence on Lincoln.

At times the Hollywood-esque enhancements in the movie were a bit too much, in terms of musical score, emotional expressions etc. a bit overdone to appeal to the larger masses rather than adhering to the true story of the book and it's message.

This movie could have been a five star but ended up being a three star with an additional star for Lewis' acting, a missed opportunity in the name of box office success.