The film was based on historian Doris Kearns Goodwin's book about Abraham Lincoln and the Screenplay is by Tony Kushner, most well known for his epoch "Angels In America".
The film was directed by Steven Speilberg and the brilliantly talented Daniel Day-Lewis, plays Mr. Lincoln. One might say, he IS Abraham Lincoln.
It is a stunning performance.
My biggest problem with the film started just a few moments into it.
There was a scene at the very beginning that seemed false to me---something I believe never would have happened---and that set a certain tone that took a lot away from the film, for me. That scene was not truthful, in my view, so that made me unsure of everything else that followed----NOT the passing of the Amendment itself, but all that led up to it, and how it actually was able to be passed. I think that was really unfortunate. And leaving out that one scene at the beginning would have changed everything about the honesty of the whole picture, for me, and I believe without that one false note, this would have been a much better film.
This is going to be a very interesting Academy Awards. There are so very many truly wonderful and varied films and so very many extraordinary performances.
Is "LINCOLN" worth seeing?
Absolutely!
In spite of my reservations----
This is film-making at it's finest.
More To Come
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NOTE: A Very Happy Valentines Day to all of you!
- had this to say:
Ive been feeling bad about not enjoying this film but your thoughts about it resonate with me. Personally I thought Tommy Lee Jones was brilliant in the film. It moved so slowly at times that sitting through the film was difficult.
- Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 2:39:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Tony Kushner is a great, great writer but, like many of his works, LINCOLN was over-written. That man needs an editor. He is primarily a playwright and his stage works are hours and hours long. I wonder if he is less suited for the screen?
- Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 4:19:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
It was all ready on my Netflix list but now I want to find out what you were referring to in the beginning. It has me extra curious.
Hope you enjoy lots of chocolate today.- Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 6:34:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
I'm hoping to see Lincoln next week. It has certainly had some good reviews. But yesterday I saw To Rome With Love, the 2012 Woody Allen film. Brilliant and very funny, I heartily recommend it!
Happy Valentine's Day Naomi! Are you wearing red today?- Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 7:40:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Happy Valentines Day.
As a policy and history geek I'm absolutely certain that I sat through the film with more rapt attention than the typical film-goer. Of the films I've seen so far- as an ensemble effort this is by far the best.
Historically- the view of political "sausage making" rang pretty true. Which was, for me, the marvel of the movie. To view current events over the issues of that day- the movie is a marvelous template of how Washington works (and doesn't.
What I was most appreciative of is that Spielberg made the artistic depiction of Lincoln's last moments with more subtlety than Tarantino would have.
Overall- I would give 2012 an Oscar to the whole industry for overall quality of movies.- Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 8:18:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
happy Valentine's Day.
I plan to see Lincoln when it comes to DVD but not sure if I will buy it. My daughter saw it with a class of children as one of the parents who went along. She liked it very much and they did too. My own feelings about it are a bit mixed because it kind of ignores some of Lincoln's political nature and his own mixed emotions about slavery where his main thing was to keep the nation together and later he even talked of sending the blacks back to africa even though many were obviously born here. Still it sounds good and I love historical films. It is certainly about a major issue and time in our country's history, a time that still impacts us today.- Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 6:27:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Thanks!!!! I can't wait to see it!!!
- Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 7:22:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Happy Valentine's Day to you Naomi and I wish you best of health and happiness always :D
I will watch this movie for sure as I am a fan of Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones and Daniel too :D
PS: Darren asked me if I keep in touch with Seemah but I am just not sure which email to send her. Please send our warmest regards to her and I hope she will drop me an email soon.
Love to all :D- Friday, February 15, 2013 at 7:00:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
I decided not to see the movie Lincoln because it is based on Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book and not on Lincoln’s words. I have read on Lincoln and found that most American books idealize him. I read The Real Lincoln and Lincoln Unmasked by Thomas DiLorenzo and they are more historically accurate because DiLorenzo quotes Lincoln and they are not so full of myth. But this is a movie, of course, and movies take liberties, they don’t have to be accurate. It bothers me though because kids who watch this movie might believe that it is mostly true. I have read French books on Lincoln which are not biased and explaining, among other points, that Lincoln had a great problem with heavy depression, and had other mental problems, but many US books don’t mention that.
Actually it is better to read Lincoln’s own words – get it from the source, this way one is sure of what he said. After the war Lincoln wanted to send all blacks to Africa. Here is a quote: “I have urged the colonization of the negroes, and I shall continue. My Emancipation Proclamation was linked with this plan. There is no room for two distinct races of white men in America, much less for two distinct races of whites and blacks. I can conceive of no greater calamity than the assimilation of the negro into our social and political life as our equal.” From an address in Washington, DC, and included in his Collected Works. Here is another quote “What I would most desire would be the separation of the white and black races." Address in Springfield, Illinois on July 17th, 1858 and included in his complete works. I like fiction but I don’t like movies that try to pass mostly fiction as non-fiction.
Ms Kearns Goodwin has many antecedents of problems with plagiarism where she settled for large sums and is not considered a “serious” Lincoln writer by scholars. Of course that has nothing to do with the actors – they read the lines that are given to them. But it is unfortunate that the movie was based on this superficial historically inaccurate book.- Friday, February 15, 2013 at 8:26:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Happy Valentine's Day dear Naomi!
I love chocolate too.
I plan to see Lincoln when it comes to DVD. There is no movie near where I live in.
I like so much Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones too.
Thanks for your review, my dear.- Friday, February 15, 2013 at 9:25:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Hey, just tried to leave a comment - I love your film analysis!
And thank you so much for your donation! Would you email me your contact info so I can thank you properly? ml_madison@yahoo.com is my address.- Friday, February 15, 2013 at 10:41:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
I was looking at an advert for this film tonight in a newspaper and every critic, everywhere has given it 5 stars! Reading your review I would now like to see the film. It sounds interesting, and I'm a Sally Field fan too. :)
- Friday, February 15, 2013 at 2:43:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
This is a film I have no interest in seeing and after your review I'm convinced I will not like it. When a film doesn't start right it doesn't tend to win me in the middle or end and if there's too much unnecessary dialogue I will probably fall asleep. It takes a lot to capture my attention lately, so no, I think I'll pass...as interesting as they make it out to be. Thanks for your thoughts, as always, my friend, and Happy Friday!
- Friday, February 15, 2013 at 3:02:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
with the exception of one I have missed ALL the movies I wanted to see last year and this year so far! Not so good when I remember how I've always loved the movies. I am glad you are getting to see them at home though! I miss that from when I lived in CA the Oscars are so much better when you've seen all the movies involved
- Saturday, February 16, 2013 at 2:22:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
I've been so in the house with my bad junk that I have missed all the Oscar movies except Les Mis. Little chance I'll catch up before next Sunday so I'm extra glad for your insightful comments. I'm thinking the Best Supporting Actor race is the one to watch!
- Saturday, February 16, 2013 at 6:08:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Happy belated Valentine's Day! We saw Lincoln too. M also thought it was too talky. Her term was, they kept "speachifying" everything. I liked it, but then I have an affinity for the 1860s and the 1930s, love the time period, and to be fair, their attention spans were not like ours. They were know to sit through hours long speeches, write long letters, and take their time selecting the right words to express their thoughts. So I was happy with it.
- Saturday, February 16, 2013 at 6:40:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
I'm not waiting in line to see this. I am always skeptical of movie life stories and prefer documentaries. Joe and I were thinking of seeing a movie yesterday. I told him I wanted to see Silver Linings Playbook, but couldn't tell him one thing about it. I don't really know ... a romantic comedy? We went out to lunch and to the duck pond instead.
- Saturday, February 16, 2013 at 12:01:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Now I want to see that film to see the scene you are talking about. I'm intrigued. :)
- Sunday, February 17, 2013 at 4:06:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Lincoln is definitely one I want to see! :)
- Sunday, February 17, 2013 at 2:44:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
I know D.D.Lewis is an acclaimed actor and I loved seeing his mother Jill Balcon as Titania on stage, but he has never really moved me. My loss I'm afraid.
I do warm to Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones.
Thank you as always for an excellent critique and for everything else you do.xox- Monday, February 18, 2013 at 2:53:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
It's another film on my list to view. It's great that you have seen just about every major film around at the moment.
It makes the Oscars season quite interesting too, because there are actually several films around that have good potential, rather than the sometimes one or two horse race for all the prizes.
- Friday, February 22, 2013 at 12:44:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
I am sure this will be good but I am waiting for it to come out on the big screen. I have read mixed reports although nothing critical about the acting. Mainly about glaring historical inaccuracies. You are so great at this critiquing business someone should be paying you to do it. Wonderful. And I hope you are well. xx
- Friday, February 22, 2013 at 1:11:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Hello Naomi...I'm excited to see how this Lincoln film will do at the Oscars. I felt the same way as you about the opening of the film. I sat there and could not believe what I was seeing. The accents and words did not match the times. I felt like I was watching modern day men talk in that opening. Have a good weekend!...sandy in Gulf Breeze
- Friday, February 22, 2013 at 6:56:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
I just wanted to let you know I saw this film. I kept getting distracted and a little bored at times through this. I thought Sally Field was too old for the part given they had such a young son. Daniel Day Lewis was great in the role as was Tommy Lee. However, it would not be a film I would se again.
- Saturday, March 30, 2013 at 6:08:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
Since I was a child I read everything I could about Lincoln. I grew up in Indiana, we had an extensive Lincoln museum, I could say much about the movie--but this is what sticks with me: 1. It is forgettable 2. Lincoln's life and times were SO VERY EXCITING for everyone alive then. I should have been on the edge of my seat--NOT. Compare the scene when the African Americans entered the courthouse to similar scene in To Kill A Mocking Bird---POWERFUL. I'm afraid it became more about the actors and less about a good story. I was so disappointed. Day-Lewis was good, but a better Lincoln will come along one day.
- Monday, April 1, 2013 at 7:24:00 PM PDT
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