Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" - Starring Daniel Day-Lewis

Photo Credit: Touchstone Pictures

A brilliant cast, a brilliant director and a brilliant president, perhaps the best ever, conspire to create one of the year's best films. Lincoln centers around the last four months of the life of the sixteenth president of the United States and is based on the novel Team of Rivals, by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Tony Kushner provides the screenplay, which focuses on Abraham Lincoln's attempt to abolish slavery and end the Civil War that divided the nation.

The soft spoken commander-in-chief is underestimated by some of his political rivals, but he is always the smartest guy in the room. Although the long and bloody Civil War has made him weary and tired, he is intent on ending slavery and the war through a series of political calculations and gambles. He is not afraid to do whatever is necessary to see that the 13th amendment to the constitution is passed. Lincoln relies on his powers of deduction while regaling those around him with stories that relay his point of view in a non-threatening way. His tales are not appreciated by everyone, but those who do listen are captivated by what he has to say and the power of his words. Indeed, Lincoln does not command respect as much as he earns it with his silver tongue.

Lincoln relies on the assistance of three men, William N. Bilboe (James Spader), Colonel Robert Latham (John Hawkes) and Richard Schell (Tim Blake Nelson), to twist the arms of the outgoing congressional Democrats to garner their support for passage of the amendment to abolish slavery. The trio utilize unorthodox methods while Lincoln works behind the scenes and even resorts to deception in order to accomplish his goals, which he firmly believes will save the divided country. Lincoln also has help from Republican leader and abolitionist Thaddeus Stevens (Tommy Lee Jones), who employs some interesting and effective methods of convincing fellow politicians to see things his way. Stevens is hard as nails while at work, but shows a surprisingly softer side at home. Of course, the outcome of the abolitionist movement and the Civil War is well known, but the struggles associated with them are endlessly fascinating to behold in this two and a half hour epic.

Daniel Day-Lewis is once again able to fully immerse himself into his character. He appears to be very comfortable in Lincoln's skin and is relaxed in his more verbose scenes, where he relays long stories that tie his ideas together in a coherent and convincing way. Day-Lewis should be given credit for making those extended dialogue heavy scenes look easy. Lincoln rarely appears angry and shies away from raising his voice to his fellow politicians, but the same cannot be said for him when dealing with his troubled private life, including his marriage to Mary Todd (Sally Field). Indeed, the emotions come pouring out during scenes where they discuss Mary's emotional problems, the death of one son and the potential danger of losing another son, Robert (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who wants to be a soldier and fight for what he believes is right. Mary is a force to be reckoned with too and has no trouble speaking her mind to powerful political rivals who are not in step with her husband's wishes. They make for a fascinating and formidable duo, despite their personal issues. Lincoln appears distant with his son Robert, while he bestows much attention on his youngest child, Tad (Gulliver McGrath). I am not certain why the distance is there, but Robert is clearly not happy with his father and their troubles boil over at one point, adding to the President's already substantial number of problems.

Steven Spielberg clearly understands how to manage a large cast of talented actors and allow them each to shine by giving them something substantial to undertake. The supporting cast, led by the aforementioned Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones, deliver award worthy work. In addition, James Spader's Bilboe works tirelessly to get the votes necessary for passage of the 13th amendment and also provides some much needed comic relief, while David Strathairn's William Seward, one of Lincoln's closest allies, has no problem being brutally candid with his boss, which is something that Lincoln very much needs. Rounding out the superb cast are Hal Holbrook, John Hawkes (The Sessions), Lee Pace and Jackie Earle Haley.

In addition to the performances, the direction and the screenplay, Lincoln features outstanding costume design, art direction, make-up and expert use of lighting that helps to set the mood for any given scene. The extended run time and verbose nature of many scenes should not deter potential viewers from seeing Lincoln in theaters. The film is well paced, completely authentic and boasts some of the finest acting you will see this year. Overall, a fitting tribute to the legendary Abraham Lincoln.