Nominated for about 12 Oscars, this film only managed to win one. Which was the right outcome really, because it was not the Best Picture of 2012 and not the Best Directing either. Those honours rightfully belonged elsewhere because this film managed to be quite boring in parts and the direction could have done with some pizazz. The Best Actor statuette though rightfully went to Daniel Day-Lewis as the titular president, a performance which I can only imagine is a wonderful tribute since I haven't seen or heard video of the original Abraham Lincoln.
While Abraham Lincoln's life and achievements could probably fill many movies, the film concentrates on a short period of his life, right towards the end of his presidency. It was an intense time where the American civil war was continuing to drag on and where he ushered in the amendment to the US Constitution which abolished slavery. The narrow focus takes the onus off needing to like Abe Lincoln since there are so many other players involved and means that it won't get lumped into the biopic category. However, the focus may also be unwise because the level of detail given about the political process of American Congress is actually a little impenetrable and in places is a little boring.
I must admit that I was quite tired when I went to see this film, which may have caused me to doze off a couple of times towards the beginning and middle, or it may have been due to the overlong sections where Lincoln's steward's hired guns try to recruit Democrat votes for the Republican backed amendment. It's strange to me that the writers have chosen to use such wordy language and long speeches in the movie - although true to the times I feel that it would have drawn more people in if the language was modernised and a bit more easily understood. The politicking just gets a bit much. And it doesn't help that the men all look so similar - the hair and mustache team wasn't very creative and I found it difficult to remember who was who after a while. It was only much later that I realised how many very talented actors were in the movie, hidden beneath a thick bushy mustache and period clothing, but at the time I felt a little confused.
Lincoln's family life is also looked at, with his wife (played by Sally Field) a nervous wreck who doesn't make his life easy, and his son wanting to join up for the war against his parents' wishes. These struggles give depth and humanity to the storyline, as well as several framing scenes which help you to understand why Lincoln becomes so passionate about ending slavery through constitutional means rather than just ending the war.
Daniel Day Lewis absolutely justifies the Oscar, using a very different voice than we've heard before and adapting his walk and mannerisms. Apparently Lincoln had a very high voice which made him very good at orating in a time before amplification was common, an aspect of why he made president. It's a commanding performance without his usual over-acting style (as seen in 'There Will be Blood' and 'Gangs of War'). My fave Joseph Gordon-Levitt is good as the eldest son but Sally Field is a bit overwrought as the overwrought wife.
The movie comes home strong with the ending, building a solid amount of tension as the vote progresses, with the outcome uncertain for those of us not overly familiar with American political history. Obviously slavery was outlawed but the how and the why was not clear to me before now. So I definitely learned something from this. However it's not the most cheerful movie and yes, definitely a little boring at times. One for historical epic fans.
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