“Lincoln” –My humble opinion of the movie

As I am sure you are all very aware by now, I am an amateur history buff and always have been. Abraham Lincoln is one of the historical figures that have always held a great fascination for me. He was a man whose complex set of values and moral standards, whose common sense approach and yet unyielding tenacity to do what he believed was right –even if it meant using methods others might consider unethical or even illegal, made him the absolute right man for the moment in history when he lived. A gift for a nation in desperate and perilous times.

I was told that this movie was “excellent” -a must see, something I would very much enjoy. I was anxious to see it, although I was somewhat guarded in my expectations (historical inaccuracy in movies drives me crazy, even when done for literary truncation). I went to see it the other day hoping for nothing more than a few hours of good entertainment.

I was shocked. What I found was perhaps the best historical dramatization I have ever seen on film.

It is about the last four months of Lincolns life, his fight to get the 13th amendment passed in a divided Congress (the explanation as to why that was so important to him is clear and easily understood), the end of the Civil War and the immense pressures on the man, as a leader, as a husband and as a father.

My friends were right. This is an absolute “Must See”. I cannot recommend it more highly.
I'm not much of a film critic, but if this movie does not get the “Best Picture of the Year”, if Daniel Day-Lewis does not get nominated for ‘Best Actor’ and Tommy Lee Jones does not get a nod for ‘Best Supporting Actor’ –I will be surprised and disappointed.

See it – You’ll like it…. (and you’ll learn something about American History –something no High School text books ever teach).

Live Long and Prosper...