Lincoln (*****)

What Steven Speilberg creates with 'Lincoln' is nothing short of brilliant. His best work in years, coupled with a refined performance from the great Daniel Day-Lewis, crafts a history lesson as well as a captivating legal story. While the title suggests this is a story about the life of a man, it is moreso a story of the life of a nation, divided by war, struggling with immense issues that only such a war could bring out. Telling the story of a mere month or two during the height of the Civil War, 'Lincoln' aims high and beautifully reaches its target.

Set in January of 1865, the Civil War has already taken its toll on Lincoln. Gray-haired and sullen, Daniel Day-Lewis plays almost against type and captures a man who uses logic and loves telling stories to accent his ideas. The film opens with an intense battle scene, black soldiers fighting alongside whites, and bodies piling up in the rainy puddles of mud turning red from all the death. We then see two black soldiers, talking to an unknown man, discussing the position, pay, and rights they lack, even though they fight alongside white soldiers for the same cause. They speak bluntly with this unknown man, joke with him, stand close and understand his words. The camera pans to the great reveal of Lincoln's silhouette. It's a great scene, sharply written, ending with several of the soldiers proving their wisdom by quoting his recent Gettysburg address.

Abraham Lincoln believes that in order to end the Civil War once and for all, he must make permanent his actions of the Emancipation Proclamation and legally free slaves forever. His stance is met by harsh criticism from not only his colleagues, but his wife (played by Sally Field), who's tenacity both comforts Lincoln but reminds him of the losses he has already faced.

Needing a majority in the House of Representatives to pass the Amendment, we follow the Republican party as they try to win the handful of Democratic votes to win a majority. Many of those in Lincoln's cabinet advise him to drop the matter entirely and focus on ening the war. Lincoln believes this is the ONLY way he can end the war, once and for all.

I admire Speilberg's direction of this film. Lacking his usual cinematic flair we have come to recognize from him, 'Lincoln' instead focuses on the quieter moments. How any President can handle a civil war while coping with the loss of a child seems impossible, but we admire the man all the more for it. Historically the film seems to whitewash certain issues. Aside from a few servants of the Lincoln household, the cast is entriely white, with the only true Abolitionist being Thaddeus Stevens (played by a truly brilliant Tommy Lee Jones). Stevens believes in racial equality totally, but in order to help the Amendment pass, he curiously must remove emotion from it and reason that we are equal 'only under the law.'

'Lincoln' is a beautiful film, photographed in a shadowy darkness that seems foreshadowing of the dark future ahead. We feel the atmosphere of the sets, cold and gloomy - characters walk around the White House draped in blankets and hats to keep warm. The attention to detail is truly astounding, both in the reality of the film and the rich experience it creates for the audience. John Williams perfectly accompanies the film with a somber score - Speilberg and Williams truly have reached a perfect understanding of the sound of movies. The cast never falters, and altogether this is one of the most relevant films of the year.

The film seems to have something for all. It teaches us about a dark time in our country's history, but reminds us that there are heroes from all walks of life. It isn't often that a truly great man also sits in a position of immense power. In 'Lincoln,' we're glad he did.

(Awards potential: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Day Lewis), Best Supporting Actor (Lee Jones), Best Supporting Actress (Field), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup, Best Editing, Best Original Score)