Director: Steven Spielberg
Screenplay: Tony Kushner
Starring: Daniel Day Lewis, Tommy Lee Jones, Sally Field, Joseph Gordon Levitt,
Synopsis is here
With its 12 nominations
hanging gracefully around its neck, I feel an unusual sense of
entitlement to Lincoln, even if it's it's just my scatterbrained thoughts
thinking it. If Django Unchained; with its blaxploitation leanings
and myth making fantasy is the graphic novel of slavery, then
Lincoln is the essay. Tarrantino may proclaim his filmmaking as non-political,
but it's clear that he no fool. The sight of hip-hop's most enigmatic rebel,
2Pac (posthumously teaming up with James Brown no less) on the films
soundtrack, and the near casting of one Will Smith may say different to a
certain few. Lincoln on the other hand is not only about the 16th president of
the United States but focuses on one of his biggest
political achievements: The passing of the 13th amendment, and the
abolishment of slavery.
Lee was quickly question about his
view on the sandbox orgy of violence and revenge and yet no one appear to
be as forthcoming to Lee's views on Spielberg's Lincoln. I feel it's
safe to say that due to the two film-makers past,
the desire for a heated reaction seems to be the purpose as opposed to any real
conversation about the material at hand. Yet Spielberg has managed to place
forth a film full of political posturing which asks for a certain amount of
reverence about its subject and subtext with apparently little issue.
Django may not be a biting
political critique on black slavery, but it's certainly more
interested in race in the frame. Lincoln for all its congressional hearings and
the like, spends what could be seen as a minimal time with black
faces. Yes, the film is called Lincoln, and a powerful performance from Daniel
Day-Lewis reminds us not only of the actor’s skill and talent, but the human
touch that made the president the icon he became. Despite this we only gain
three noteworthy moments of interaction with Afro-Americans. The first two are
amongst the strongest scenes in the film, while the last (a climatic reveal) is
awkward at best. The opening scene in which a young black solider ponders upon
the future to Lincoln is a simple yet effective moment which boils down the
very reason why the amendment should be passed. A later scene in which Lincoln
and his now free house maid reflect on what lies ahead, also re-enforces such
importance. These scenes; broad as they are hold the type of emotional weight
that Spielberg is known for, making it a pity that through the more
restrained eye of Lincoln such moments are few and far between.
That said, Spielberg does
republican politics a better favour than Fox news, with many scenes deftly
passing forth the massage that while democracy can be a dirty and
difficult game, progression is not a dirty word. Lincoln is quick to alert that
the tensions of old are not a thing of the past and the aggressive political
standings seen right now, will only leave the country in more turmoil.
Day-Lewis' performance drives home the human element that seems to be lacking
with the politicians we see today. Others have been sniffy with
Lincoln's grandfather-like meandering tales, yet without them the film would
lose the humility we need to connect with him as a character. It also cuts
through some of the pomp and bluster of some of the films dryer moments.
Daniel Day Lewis' performance is a
striking one, yet it does little to elevate the weightless family side plot
that runs alongside the politics. Supposed emotional scenes
with Joseph Gordon Levitt and Sally Field are weak and do little to
bring everything to the head. It's odd to see a Spielberg movie have such
an awkward footing when it focuses on family aspects, yet this is a more
restrained Spielberg feature which dances around some of his more typical
sentiments with a certain shyness. Unlike many; I tend to warm to those moments
usually due to the earnestness that they are approached with. In Lincoln
however, it's just the facts with less of the blacks and of course the people
have been quick to remark on the accuracy.
Still; Spielberg (with Day Lewis in
tow) manages to bring a board sense of decency and gravitas to many
moments of the film.Also; while the film lacks a certain grace in it's closing
segments (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter deals with the inevitable outcome
with a little more subtly), Spielberg still remains a man to go to for
visual wit. The sight of James Spader, Tim Blake Nelson and John Hawkes
blundering around the place like 18th century stooges is a winning one. As is Tommy Lee Jones who is bullish form. Such
scenes do not outstay their welcome.
Said moments
however are diamonds in the rough of a film, that weaves in and out of
important and impotence. Turgid family sequences clash with
intriguing political discourse. Stand out displays, slap against
struggling performances. Racial politics are the mainstay of the movie, yet the
people don't seem to matter as much as the reasoning. Lincoln will serve
history teachers well in the long run with its calm and sensible depiction.
Django on the other hand, gives us a outlandish superhero amidst the
cinematic landscape of comic book adaptations. The restraint and awards may do
a lot of favours for Lincoln, yet when it comes to race in the frame Django's
hip hop stylings may build a stronger connection over similar material.
