One of my all time favorites.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

4/4Some argue that Spielberg is no longer at the zenith of his career, and that might even be true. He isn't churning out summer blockbusters like Jaws or Indiana Jones anymore, but he still makes remarkable dramas. Lincoln is a perfect example of this. It's truly one of the better historical films I've seen.Daniel Day-Lewis is the best possible cast for Lincoln. He is able to portray every edge of his role. He can (much like the real life Lincoln) fluidly transition between the serious president who will Stop at nothing to end the war and pass the 13th Ammendment, and the laid-back, down-to-Earth storyteller he was known to be off the job. It's very rare for a man to possess kindness, reason, a good reputation and the ability to persuade simultaneously the way Lincoln did. It's even rarer to see a man with such virtue as Lincoln have been done justice on screen. Lewis hones the role and does just that.The long running-time may (understandably, given the subject matter) repel some viewers with less patience and love for films in general. Cinephiles and history-buffs alike will find that the 150 minutes speed by all to quickly, not giving the proper historical resolution to Lincoln's assassination and other aspects of his life. As far as excitement, this movie falls between full-on war films such as Glory (1989), and Ken Burn's The Civil War. It's deliberate but holds your interest. Overall, I think that the movie has mass-appeal and Spielberg did a fair job marketing it. It's not a perfect movie, but it's truly great. I think we can agree that Lewis was phenomenal in the role of Lincoln, and that this is Spielberg's best effort in 15 years.

The opening shot is a brutal and devastating look at the Civil War. In the rain, men slaughter each other as blood mixes with the mud. In a remarkably bold scene, Spielberg sets the stage for the state of the nation at the advent of the 13th Amendment, without ever having to return to the bloodshed of the War. (Something I am certain he is capable of, see the first 27 minutes of "Saving Private Ryan") The rest of the film is remarkably tame if compared to that first scene, so the drive must be found elsewhere. Similar to the Oscar-bait films of the past few years, "Lincoln" is driven by passive drama through the struggle to pass the 13th Amendment (a common, yet effective film trope) and awe inspiring character work. The ceaselessly perfect Daniel Day-Lewis disappears into the role of Lincoln, with myself during first viewing taking numerous double-takes to see that that was indeed an actor and not a stunningly crafted CGI Lincoln, a la Peter Cushing in last year's "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story". Lewis turns in one of his best performances this time around, perfecting the mannerisms and indescribable subtle awkwardness of the legendary president. Yet even Lewis is eclipsed by the scene-stealing role of Thaddeus Stevens played to perfection by an ever belligerent Tommy Lee Jones. Being of a younger audience, this was a dramatic turn from the straight-man comedic of the MIB series, and Jones blended into the role of Stevens. His crass attitude and defiant stature allows Jones to create a gruff, outspoken congressional legend. Filling out the supporting cast are memorable takes on legends like Secretary Seward (David Strathairn), journalist W.N. Bilbo (James Spader) and of course Mary Todd Lincoln (Sally Field). Hal Holbrook as Preston Blair, founder of the Republican Party, was a particularly excellent casting choice. Holbrook had a storied career playing Lincoln and playing the founder of the party Lincoln made famous was a suitable way to round out his career and dance with Lincoln. My one doubt on the casting end was Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Robert Lincoln. While Gordon-Levitt is one of my favorite actors and makes every project he stars in sparkle, he seemed to stand out as Joseph Gordon-Levitt in a film which held great strength in its historical accuracy; with the actors becoming their roles and not standing out as the Hollywood legends they are. That one blemish on such an historically accurate film was made negligent by the astonishing costumes and historical set pieces. The focus on the time period did numbers on the plot which revolved around one off the greatest congressional battles in history. "Lincoln" is one of the most accurate political dramas I've witnessed save "The West Wing". The backroom deals were brilliantly filmed and staged as to always seem exciting. Shots of back alleyways and smokey Senate offices perfectly encapsulated the atmosphere of 1860's Washington. The push and shove of swing votes never seemed trivial and stakes, while rarely seen, were well established and brought high drama in what easily could've been a bland retelling of the story. An especially pleasing subplot that placed extra stakes (and humor!) to the film was the delegation from Richmond. Their constant delay and interactions with General Grant found me chuckling at times and their very existence brought serious twists into the congressional workings in the A-plot. One key player, and personal idol of mine, Salmon P. Chase was completely left out of the story sadly. As a Radical Republican like Stevens and a Cabinet member like Seward, it seems ridiculous he was not included within the story. By and by this is a phenomenal historical film which stunningly exceeds the expectations of a seemingly unstoppable trio. Steven Spielberg, 3-time Oscar Winner Daniel Day-Lewis, and our most legendary president, Abraham Lincoln.

I will remember this movie more for Lewis' performance than anything else. While the subject matter is important, and I liked the story, Lewis holds this movie together. I've never seen Abraham Lincoln, but I am 100% convinced that he is on screen in these scenes. The biggest problem the movie has is the length. It's 2 and a half hours, and all talking. Now normally I wouldn't have a problem with this, but I don't understand the passing of Amendments well, so I couldn't really follow some scenes. I stay out of politics anyway, so I don't have a problem with the views expressed by the Confederacy or other characters. I will say I respect what the Confederacy did, willing to go against their family, friends, and neighbors, and dying for a cause they believed in. I don't support their ideology, but I respect them willing to die for something they were so passionate about. Would I see this again, probably not, but I did enjoy it a lot. If you're more familiar with Civil War history, or politics in general, you may enjoy this more than I did.

The film is about the 13th amendment, that is clear, despite the fact that in the trailer we are shown outside scenes, combat scenes, they are not what you will be mostly seeing here. It would be better translated as "the backstage for the 13th amendment", because we see how people are convinced to accept it.Now, something that disturbs me is one of the top reviews (and controversial), even though I believe he is right at some points, such as in the "no sense of space", he truly believed that this film was about Lincoln's life, he was under the impression that he was probably going to see a biographical film, his infancy, his time at the army, probably the years and years he tried to get elected. Nothing explains his misinterpretation of the film for his score, he probably read "Lincoln" and thought "oh this is a film about Lincoln's life", when his expectations were not fulfilled he demolished the film with his review, I don't think a generalised title such as "Lincoln" should make you believing that you would be seeing all about his life, it would be the same as being annoyed when you watch "The Neverending Story" and the film ends, but isn't it "neverending"?