REVIEW: "Lincoln," the Not-So-Honest Abe, and How He Saved America

I’ve said before that I am a moderately interested history buff. I dabble, really. Every now and then, I’ll go on a research binge where I’ll learn about the Red Scare or read about the founding fathers of the United States. My boss, a small-business owner of a local pizza shop, does not dabble. He is, in fact, more knowledgeable about the Civil War than any of my history teachers or professors. My boss has written books about the Civil War, has collected letters, memorabilia, and stories from the Civil War. My boss LOVED “Lincoln,” the Steven Spielberg movie starring Daniel Day Lewis that was released this past month.

Now, of course, that speaks to the historical accuracy of the picture, if that’s the sort of thing that interests you about historical dramas. My dad, on the other hand, wanted more action. My mom doesn’t like Daniel Day Lewis.

But you didn’t read this to hear about what my boss or my parents thought of the movie.

One of the things I learned when researching George Washington and the founding fathers (as one does in his or her free time) was the distinction between fact and fiction. Washington’s legacy is one of a mythological figure, an America folk legend, an epic hero. Upon researching him, however, it becomes fascinating distinguishing the myth from the man. The man who could not tell a lie, who cut down the cherry tree and admitted to it, was in fact a skilled spymaster and ran an espionage ring during the American Revolution. That sort of illumination is what I find most fascinating about the story told in “Lincoln.” Honest Abe demonstrated his skills as a politician, “buying” votes with government jobs, postponing peace-talks with the Confederates to gain support for the 13th Amendment, and other complex, questionable tactics in order to advance his agenda that ultimately helped the United States.

Not everybody liked the President. Some thought he was too progressive, obviously. Others, interestingly, didn’t think he was radical enough. The display of factions within Washington was very reminiscent of today’s political climate, in some ways, with men taking strong positions on opposite sides of a very important issue.

As a film, Spielberg again delivers, with beautifully-shot cinematography, on authentic sets populated by a remarkably skilled cast from top to bottom. The script’s eloquent lines were delivered with passion and emotion and conveyed the complexities of the situation before Lincoln and his Cabinet.

That all being said, as my introduction alluded, this film isn’t for everyone. It’s a political drama, through and through. Aside from an opening war scene, it is very much a movie of politicians talking politics. If that’s not your bag, then maybe skip this one. But if you like politics, history, quality acting, filming and script-writing, go see “Lincoln.”