2012
Directed by Steven Spielberg
I was in a Steven Spielberg mood after checking out Ready Player One last week (don't judge; the book was fun). Anyway, despite my aversion to Daniel Day-Lewis, this was...decent.
The film only focuses on the last four months of Lincoln's life, zeroing in on his efforts to have the Thirteenth Amendment passed by the House of Representatives. So most of the film consists of old white guys with odd hairstyles yelling at each other. Ah, how politics have evolved.
Why were there so few exterior shots in this film? I began to feel claustrophobic, which might be the point? I am not sure why it would be the point, but I'll allow Spielberg the benefit of the doubt (I owe him that much). This is a dark and dreary movie and I was slightly disappointed by the aesthetics of it.
That being said, I did think the way they presented Lincoln was interesting. It was almost like he was a Christ figure, speaking in parables and becoming a martyr. We are in the age of disillusionment, and it's nice to still have some genuinely good guys to look up to. Of course, watching Sally Field and Daniel Day-Lewis ACT for two and a half hours became somewhat tiresome, but overall it was worth the watch.
RATING: ***--
Interesting Facts:
Abraham Lincoln created the Secret Service on the day of his assassination.
During filming, the call sheet said "Abraham Lincoln" rather than Daniel Day-Lewis. Give me a break.
Oh how I struggle to cope with Spielberg (I recently watched 'Warhorse' and cringed all the way through as the syrupy, overplayed, cheap cliches followed thick and fast).
ReplyDeleteI strongly resisted seeing this for some time, despite history films being one of my things.
Oh, how, I thought, I could picture it... The great figure stoops and picks up cute, crying little black child, and as the music swells, looks into said child's eyes, then stares up at the sky - probably with a sun rise, and promises.. "I swear, by almighty God, there will dawn a day when you will grow up to be a free man..."
Well, I was wrong wasn't I?*
Instead we got a fairly taught political thriller (OK, OK, we all know he got his amendment through, but ..)
Slightly surprised to learn the bit about him setting up the secret service .. I know that spying was pretty widespread throughout the civil war.. So this was establishing the spy network as one department? Interesting .. thank you.
* Well, OK, I think you have a good point about portraying Lincoln as.. what did you say exactly .. "almost like he was a Christ figure, speaking in parables and becoming a martyr.". But it is Spielberg, we have to have some cliche.
So I think we end up agreeing a ***is acceptable..
Oh my. I knew I was right to dread War Horse.
DeleteOh most certainly. Well, at least from me. I'm sure many others would disagree.
ReplyDeleteAmanda.. You seem to being ad bombed (if that is a saying). Three postings on here, and some others, are selling something. I don't know, but I'd be very wary of opening them...
ReplyDelete