Director: Steven Spielberg
Writers: Tony Kushner (screenplay), Doris Kearns Goodwin (book)
Stars: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn
There is so much written about President Lincoln and the civil war. Perhaps this movie, which takes very narrow slice of his life, will be looked at as the definitive portrayal of the Lincoln Presidency. I am told that Daniel Day-Lewis is somewhere in this movie, but I failed to notice him; all I saw was Abe Lincoln. The conversations, some of which sound not too far from today's usage, is spot-on and we the audience feel like a fly on the wall in a decisive moment of history. "With malice towards none..." is an often quoted segment from Lincoln's second inaugural address. This story (or real-life account) shows that quote reflected on himself. He was fighting his own inner demons, his own cabinet, and making use of the loopholes in the laws, all in order to do the right thing as he saw fit. In today's political climate, most people are fighting for favors for themselves and their own corporations. In stark contrast, Lincoln corralled the members of the Congress, delayed others, and did what's necessary in order to do right by all of the people. And, all that from an imperfect, complex man. I love this movie. My Rating: 8.5
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