Lincoln (2012) Review

https://youtu.be/KJVuqYkI2jQ?is=TTk9EwkiMwlvDPip

THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE DISCUSSED FILM. READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

It does get hard to plan for a better future because you want to live to see it come to fruition. Sometimes, it’s not meant for us to see but for those meant to appreciate it


PLOT


Based on Doris Kearns Goodwin’s ‘Team of Rivals’, 2012’s Lincoln takes place in the 1860s following the American civil war. President Abraham Lincoln hopes to pass the 13th amendment/emancipation proclamation meant to pass abolition of slavery towards Africans. He hopes to get democratic support due to the Radicla republicans wanting to delay passage, but Secretary of State William H Seward suggests waiting for a new republican nominated congress. This leads to reaching out to Republican Party founder Francisco Preston Blair (Hal Holbrook) to influence members to vote for anti slavery amendment. Blair in turn does manage insist the president to engage peace negotiations with the confederate government. For the time being, Abraham chooses to pause negotiations until Blair gives official support. He also has to secure democratic votes for the amendment by offering those soon to be unemployed democrats (with the assist of William Bilbo, Robert Latham & Richard Schell) and suggests concentrating on lame duck politicians that can allow independent voting. When Abraham’s first born son Robert Todd returns home from Harvard Law does he announce to enlist in the Union army, hoping to have respect outside his father’s shadow. Abe’s wife Mary Todd pleads with him to pass the amendment so that they don’t lose their son, after already losing Edward of tuberculosis and William of typhoid fever. Abe would later meet House of Representatives member Thaddeus Stevens for his support as he is an advocate on racial equality. At the debate does Stevens give a speech on equality that eventually results in the margin passing by two votes, which he celebrates with his biracial lover Lydia Hamilton Smith (S Epatha Merkerson). After the passing does it lead to Abraham meeting the three confederate commissioners (president pro tempore Robert MT Turner, Assistant Secretary of War John A Campbell & Vice presidency of confederacy Alexander Stephens) that slavery will not be restored and the north/sourh will ratify the agreement. With the war continuing, he visits the Petersburg battlefield to speak with Lt General Ulysses S Grant (Jared Harris) who receives news of the surrender of General Robert E Lee (Christopher Boyer). On the night he was planning to discuss enfranchising blacks, he would sadly be murdered by John Wilkes Booth. When the manager of Grover’s theater publicly announces the tragedy, everyone would be left in shock including the president’s youngest son Tad (Gulliver McGrath). As a physician confirms him dead at Petersen House does the film end with a flash back of his second inaugural address.


THOUGHTS


I think it made sense that Steven Spielberg would adapt the abolishment of slavery after the success of Amistad that is arguably a prelude to it. Considering how important of a moment in history this was, it made sense this period piece would be as epic it would be promoted to be and as time passed, I don’t think it’s aged a bit. It’s one of those cases where it’s the best time warp you want to be. It’s the chapter of history that makes you proud to be American and just human because eliminating something that was necessary is what brings us together in saying there is a gift to patience when it comes to monumental change. John Williams gives another touching score that helps us feel this way. And the combo of Michael Kahn’s editing and Janusz Kamiński’s cinematography feels most untouchable to make every second of history matter. From the glimpse of the civil war battle to everyone just making their own progress on what was to come, you know you’re invested in everything that made the country what it is now despite ongoing flaws. The costume/makeup is quite stellar, but it is Rick Carter’s production design that makes the whole narrative the surreal experience you can’t get enough of. All of these elements do in fact pull us in, but it is the lead performance of the titular performance that brings it full circle of saying being able to compromise as pragmatic as possible and not ever losing sight of your morals will in fact be rewarding. Scoring his third Lead Actor Oscar, Daniel Day Lewis straight up becomes Abe in so many ways. While he wasn’t actually stressful when things were getting intense, his voice matched the higher tenor many historians have described him. Although the decision to abolish slavery was more of a military strategy and he was more in the backroom of the vote wrangling, it didn’t change the fact he wanted this change as much as many in his generation did. He saw the humanity in the African Americans that wanted the equality and while they struggle with diversity continued in the 21st century, the emancipation did pave the way for them to keep on having that chance to remind the prejudiced they’re just as human as we are. If he didn’t support change the way he did, it’s hard to know for sure if any other president after him would want similar goals. Considering there were many peers that supported him, it makes me happy knowing even they wished for the same future. David Strathairnwas great as well as Seward because while thinking more pragmatic, he chose loyalty first to contribute in making the impossible become possible. The best part is how he went out of his way to get resources to get people in the right direction. James Spader, John Hawkes & Tim Blake Nelson were such a fun trio respectively as Bilbo, Latham & Schell because they were all direct in wanting the same goal despite having something to gain from it. Apart from them, Tommy Lee Jones made a big mark as Stevens because he’s unapologetic about being most principled with his beliefs. His speech that expresses ‘equality before the law’ was the moving one to hear throughout because that was the prime example on how there is good that can come from a compromise and it sure paid off in the long run when it inspired others to come around with his point of view. Michael Stuhlbarg’s George Yeaman & Walton Goggins’ Clay Hawkins were prime examples of said inspiration because if they didn’t hear others feel the same deep down, they would’ve not made the choice of a lifetime whereas Lee Pace’s Fernando Wood & Peter McRobbie’s George H Pendleton were too arrogant to see the good of such a change. A similar thing can be said with the confederate commissioners since Michael Shiflett, Gregory Itzin & Jackie Earle Haley all showed the three to be those who were against change because confederacy was all they knew and didn’t know how to live without it. While confederacy is the part of history we wish to have been buried in the same way we want racism to be gone, it’s enough of a relief to know the world is thriving upon the fact it’s not the only lifestyle/mindset to depend on. The only one that matters is the one that is without hate and the world is big enough to not be defined by that which I am glad to know. While it’s already noted Lincoln’s and his party’s decisions changed the world, it doesn’t surprise me that the president’s family would affect him in return when it came to wanting to make decisions meant for the better. You definitely can relate to Joseph Gordon Levitt as Robert because he wants to live in the now when it comes to making a difference like his dad should, but wants to do it in a bold way that can separate him from his father’s legacy. Abe of course wanted him to finish law school so he can make a difference similarly to how he has while keeping him away from the action, but of course little did he think that would push him away. This decision did affect his relationship with his wife of course Sally Field showed Mary to be one who is struck with grief after losing two sons, but uses it to become fierce with her words she doesn’t hesitate expressing. She’s the only one to go wire to wire with her husband when it comes to debating on the future because she’s far more unfiltered/unapologetic about it. If she didn’t speak how she felt, I’m not sure if Abe would’ve acted sooner on the absolute. His death is of course tragic because no one deserves to be killed for making the right changes. Nevertheless, he wasn’t in vein because this country is still standing long after and I’m proud to be still alive to do what I love as an American. In short, Lincoln is one of the ideal Best Picture nominees for good reason, inspiring the world to remember the backbones of a positive legacy. If you want that kind of feeling, see this now.