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    Lincoln

    Reviewed by
    adamwatchesmovies@

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    What's great about "Lincoln" is that it doesn't really feel like a historical drama; sure, if you know you’re American history you can predict the events that will happen but you won't foresee how funny, charismatic, gentle and human the people in this movie are. Despite the title, the film isn't really about Abraham Lincoln. It's about the last four months of the President's life, particularly the man's efforts to pass the Thirteenth Amendment to the U. S. Constitution while also juggling his personal life and what kind of tactics and procedures were necessary for the effort to abolish slavery to come to fruition.

    Two actors (and the characters they portray) really stand out here. The first is Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln and the second is Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens, an uncompromising congressman from Pennsylvania. Both men, even though both men are opposed to slavery, they approach the proposed amendment in very different way. I found it truly inspiring to see them fight for a cause they believe (and of course, you can get behind as well) The most fascinating thing isn't their goal though; it’s the battle they have to go through in order to get there. Your heart breaks because they are often faced with great moral dilemmas as they must compromise to ensure the bill of the 13th amendment passes through congress. My heart really went out to Stevens, who is almost too idealistic and stubborn for his own good.

    The 13th amendment and its eventual inclusion into the constitution actually comprises most of the film (perhaps "The 13th Amendment" didn't play well with audiences) so this isn't by any means a biopic, it just feel like a political drama where war, slavery and intense political discussions are constant obstacles. The film really works in making the people feel genuine. Nobody here is a saint or a villain. They're just humans that lived long before anyone involved in the movie were born. There were some people that I did despise, but I think the power of this story Is that these people thought they were doing the right thing, even if they were on the wrong side of the issue.

    I'm making this movie sound really heavy. The biggest surprise you will find is how funny the movie is. President Lincoln is frequently cracking jokes and telling funny stories to charm his fellow politicians and break the tension. It also has some of my favorite type of scenes in any political drama, the sequences where people are debating in a congressional hearing. All of these guys are insulting each other with some really clever adjectives that hit a lot harder than some of the four-letter words we throw at each other in frustration nowadays. The term "sick burn" didn't exist in 1865, but if it did it could have been applied many times here, particularly when Stevens takes the stage and spits vitriol at his pro-slavery opponents. I loved just listening to this movie because of the dialogue.

    It's a complex movie so make sure you're paying attention and ironically, the less you know about your history the more you'll enjoy it (not that the film plays fast and loose with the material, but knowing the specific dates and names is sometimes distracting) You'll be surprised at how inspiring and touching it ultimately is, without feeling sugary and melodramatic. A lot of "Lincoln" is great because it comes from an important part of American history, but it's also perfectly put together and expertly acted so even if this was complete fiction it would be a great film. (Theatrical version on the big screen, January 18, 2013)

    10
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    adamwatchesmovies@  18.7.2015 age: 26-35 2,867 reviews

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