Our Greatest President, Pretty Good Movie

I first watched Lincoln some years ago while living in Zambia and after recently watching the movie again I think I enjoyed it more the second time. I’m a former U.S. history teacher but even I had a hard time following the plot yet thankfully director Steven Spielberg has enough respect for the audience to not simplify or slow down the story of how the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution came to pass. It’s a complex and interesting political story, to be sure, and I definitely got more from Lincoln the second time around, but the movie's real draw is Daniel Day Lewis’ epic performance as President Abraham Lincoln. I would love to see Lewis do a one man show as Abe Lincoln on Broadway some day but since Lewis has officially retired from acting I guess that’s not going to happen.

While not an action movie, Lincoln poses interesting legal and moral questions which leave a lasting impact (yet perhaps not as deep as Spielberg’s other nineteenth century slavery movie, Amistad). Lincoln feels way too short to me and some of the actors are woefully miscast but perhaps these are small gripes especially when compared with the outstanding supporting performances by Jared Harris as Ulysess S. Grant and James Spader as the hilarious Mr. Bilbo. Lincoln may be dead but his spirit, humor, and words live on and carry this thougtful movie which reminds us that America is capable of producing great leaders. Time to be great again. Grade: B+