Lincoln (2012)

With exactly a month to go before the Academy Awards, I'm trying my best to see as many (if not all) of the best picture nominees as possible. Coming from the Philippines, this poses a challenge since some of the films may be released here after the Oscars. Some may not even be released at all if it didn't win anything, or if the distributors think that it wouldn't appeal to the local audience. I hope I'm wrong on this, but I think an example of the latter would be Steven Spielberg's Lincoln. I just finished watching it yesterday and I still can't properly put into words just how beautiful and incredible a film it was.

A brief background on the film first, since I don't think I'd be spoiling it for anyone since everything shown on the film is part of American history. The film is set during the tail-end of the American Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln has just been elected to a second term and he has made it his ultimate mission to finally abolish slavery by having the thirteenth amendment to the American Constitution passed in congress within the next month. It seems like a pretty easy law to pass since his party has the majority in congress but so many factors and vested interests from various parties are making it harder and harder to guarantee the bill's ratification.

The seemingly simple plot does little to really explain just how complex and emotional this film is. Also, although it is set during the American Civil War, I would classify this more as a political/legal drama than a war film. In contrast to Spielberg's other war film- Saving Private Ryan, the only battle scene that I recall seeing was at the very beginning. The remaining two hours and thirty minutes gives us a window into the personal and professional lives of the men in Washington instead of the soldiers. Also, unlike other war films, Lincoln is very dialogue heavy and presented in a very delicate and meticulous pace that it feels serene and relaxing watching it. The film presents to the audience so many strengths but I think none are more immediately apparent than the incredible acting displayed by the cast.

Daniel Day-Lewis was seriously in a class all on his own with his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln. I don't know the steps he took in preparing for the role, but his performance reminded me so much of Robert De Niro's performances in Taxi Driver and Raging Bull. The characters portrayed by both actors couldn't be any more different, but like De Niro, Day-Lewis gives us such a spellbinding performance that I often found myself forgetting that I was watching an actor in a film. Every minute detail was obviously well researched and Day-Lewis used these details to further give life to his character. The hand gestures, the accent, the facial expressions, everything about his performance makes you think that he does not simply play Abraham Lincoln, but he becomes him as well. He brings us along through all the hardships and the excruciating toll being a President during war has taken on himself and everyone around him. This performance has OSCAR written all over it (sorry Hugh Jackman)

The other scene-stealer of the film was Tommy Lee Jones and his amazing performance as quick tempered. firebrand abolitionist Thaddeus Stevens. In a way, Jones was a perfect choice for the role as it called for a loud mouthed, witty, cranky old man who only has the best of intentions but often lets his mouth get him in trouble. Jones' hard-nosed style of acting fits perfectly with a character who refuses to play politician and compromise even if it means it may help him attain the goal he has so long been fighting for. To him, his beliefs are uncompromising but he will soon learn, as the audience will thanks to Jones' great acting, that it takes more than a pure heart and pure intentions to get things done in Government. (This is just one of so many relevant themes, scenes and lines in the film. I will get to the writing later on.)

Everyone in the supporting cast deserves to be commended for their performance. Sally Field, just like Daniel Day-Lewis, forces us to absorb the sheer magnitude of the war on the physical and mental health of Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln. Having to experience a tragedy in the family and not having your husband around as often as you want because he has a duty to the country is an idea hard to fathom for anyone. But here, Field provides a glimpse into both the strength and weakness of Mrs. Lincoln that gave the president such troubles as well as the necessary courage to carry on. Although he does not play a central character in the story, Joseph Gordon Levitt still gives a remarkable performance as Lincoln's son Robert. The conflict between his goals and going against his father's orders is a feeling that every man knows oh so well, and Gordon Levitt delivers once again in this film.

Aside from the acting, the film would not have had the same impact if not for the outstanding writing. So many times during the course of watching the film, I found myself reflecting on something that was said by one of the characters. I sometimes even found myself laughing at the relevance of some of the lessons brought forth by the film and why some of our politicians can't seem to think like this or have this same resolve to make the nation better for everyone. The power in the lines and scenes is increased exponentially thanks to fine performances of the actors and of course the direction of Steven Spielberg.

I think it is a given that Spielberg is very good at what he does. He has tackled the war and political themes before in Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List, but the way he directed Lincoln was unlike any Spielberg film that I can remember. In Ryan and Schindler's List, we are first presented with a large setting and then forced to tackle a more specific problem within the larger picture. In Saving Private Ryan, we are immersed in the bloody battlefields of World War II and then later made to focus on the more specific yet personal mission of saving a fellow soldier from enemy lines. This is the also the case in Schindler's List except with a different setting and a different specific plot. In Lincoln, it is the specifics that are first presented to us. We first see the central theme of Lincoln wanting the bill ratified and only throughout the film do we see how this one act is impacting EVERYONE in the Civil War. 

To use a rough analogy, Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List are extroverted films while Lincoln is an introverted one. The former two are immediately shown to be epic and grand in scale and only later on do we see the underlying soul of the film. In Lincoln, we are presented a very "shy" film that takes it's time in introducing itself to us. But as we get to know it, we realize that there is SO MUCH more to this film than we first thought.

While I truly believe that anyone who watches this film will thoroughly enjoy and be touched by it, I do see an obstacle to this happening. Admittedly, just from the title, this film was meant for Americans to enjoy. The very little we know about Abraham Lincoln (if any) will not allow us to fully appreciate the film. What I suggest that my fellow countrymen do before seeing this film is to do a little research. While I was watching, I had to stop sometimes and look-up who this person was and why he was acting such. Just a little basic knowledge about the thirteenth amendment (why it was important to Lincoln, who were opposing it and why, who were the other political factions involved, a background on Lincoln's family) will make your viewing of Lincoln that much better.

It's ironic that I found a movie about an American president far more intriguing and relevant than a film about a Philippine president. So much so that the film has given me a new found interest in American Civil War history and I am still reading about it until now. I can only hope that sooner or later, a Filipino film about our national heroes will be made in this mold. One that is unbiased, that shows both the strengths and flaws of our leaders and allows us to judge for ourselves as well as provide lessons that are still relevant today.

So among the best picture nominees, I have seen Argo, Life of Pi, Les Miserables and Lincoln. Among those four, I'm only considering Argo and Lincoln to win, and for me, Lincoln was just that much more epic and touching of a film. Right now it is my favorite to win Best Picture, Actor and Supporting Actor. Anne Hathaway is still my favorite for supporting actress. Let's see if Silver Linings Playbook, Django Unchained and Zero Dark Thirty have anything to say about my picks. Stay tuned!!!

9/10