Perfect acting, lavish dialogue, and a surprising amount of affecting images elevate "Lincoln" to the noble heights historical dramas can reach - a film that can both entertain and enlighten.

Lincoln is deprived of emotion, comedy, action and music that makes a film come alive. Even with a interesting time in our history the movie is a total bore with a pace unimaginably slow. It tries to come alive in the end but with a rushed ending the movie falls apart. A disgraceful film by Spielberg.

The movie is saved by outstanding performances by the supporting cast, including some moments of humor by James Spader. It's a good movie, but not the type of historical account that you'll return to like you would Schindler's List. DDL is, of course, excellent, but the movie as a whole is essentially solid work.

The latest from Spielberg examines the great president's last 4 months, when he struggled to pass the 13th Amendment to end slavery. Tony Kushner ("Angels in America") wrote the screenplay, so it's wordy and eloquent. In the title role, Daniel Day Lewis is simply amazing: creating a character who's not only imposing, but wise and down-to-earth. Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones also turn in great performances and the entire cast is outstanding. Visually, it's attractive and full of period eloquence. Don't expect this to be a big hit, the seriousness of the subject and constant conversation renders it too inaccessible. It is a solid history lesson in a beautifully made and intelligent package.… Expand

Daniel Day-Lewis does a fantastic mjob undeniably. However, I was bored with the repetition of dialogue, the length of the film, and the consistent dark lighting. It is great on performance and technical level for the most part but when it comes to other thing sit is far from good. I give this film 48%. Spieberg disappoints two years in a row for me.

No academy award winning directors or actors could save this tediously long debacle of a film. This movie seemed longer than the Civil War. It is neither engaging, entertaining, or thought provoking. Completely overrated.

Lincoln is a really good film! Not a brilliant film, but it's extremely well done. Daniel Day-Lewis is terrific, he truly disappears into the role/character and gives a fantastic (Oscar worthy) performance. The screenplay by Tony Kushner is outstanding. Heavy on the politics, but moving and humorous at all the right moments; it will definitely be nominated for an Oscar. The film is rounded off by a perfect supporting cast, dotted with many well-known/renowned actors, and none of them disappoint. Tommy Lee Jones and Sally Field stand out. Overall, Lincoln is a great biopic about a great American figure. The film captures the conflict of the era, as well as the humanity of good ole' Abe. I think I like Spielberg's War Horse a little better, but this is a really good film, worthy of a lot of praise.… Expand

Trying to faithfully depict a larger (literally) figure than most can fail spectacularly, just ask Sasha Gervasi, the director of the recent Lincoln starts as the civil war is coming to a close and Abraham Lincoln's (Daniel Day Lewis) window to pass the 14th amendment is quickly closing. Battling a hostile house of representatives as he tries to rally votes he must also cope with a grieving wife, a naive patriotic son and his own personal grief. Lincoln is completely unlike anything you would expect it to be much like the Lincoln displayed in the picture. This Lincoln is old, not due to his age but his responsibilities, he has aged quicker than most because of the events he himself has orchestrated yet he doesn't blame anyone, in fact he sees his choices not as choices at all but as necessities that have unfortunately taken what little was left of a man following the death of his son. However the film shows him as a man with a lot of fight still in him, a fight that is fast approaching. Director Steven Spielberg and writer Tony Kushner are clever to concentrate the film on Lincoln's last battle to emancipate the slaves as not only does it emphasize progress to a modern audience, especially when you consider that Lincoln's counterpart today is African American, but it also shows a man of great conviction, a man who stood out from the pack for all the right reasons and prevailed because people trusted in the man. The choice of Daniel Day Lewis was a perfect one with an early choice of Liam Neeson being in my opinion, way off base. There isn't a moment in the film where you don't believe he is Lincoln, that he isn't this great man. He completely encompasses the character. The film wouldn't be the film it is without the superb supporting cast it has, from a delightfully grumpy Tommy Lee Jones to a emotionally affecting Sally Field as Mary Todd. Even James Spader is a joy as he infuses the film with some much needed comedy instead of dropping his pants as he seems to do in most his movies. The only real weak link is Joseph Gordon Levitt who isn't so much a character but a plot point to be slotted into scenes where needed to serve a theme or a sub plot. It's not that he gives a bad performance, its just that he is ever so irrelevant. Overall its a near perfect Biopic of someone well worth doing a Biopic about. Not just a fine president but a rule breaker and a cheat, a flawed man who achieved greatness by merely expecting better from those around him and treating all he met as equals, a wonderful portrait of a man.… Expand

At first Daniel Day-Lewis's performance came across as a caricature, but after about 15 minutes he won me over completely. A fascinating look at the political process of the time, some of which is still relevant today. Well written and acted with great supporting roles, it never bored me. They use some of the dialect of the time so I didn't always understand what was said, but it isn't hard to follow. Tommy Lee Jones was great as usual. I'm sure there will be lots of buzz at Oscar time. The best Spielberg movie in a long time.… Expand

Last year USA-born Meryl Streep won her third Oscar for the portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in THE IRON LADY (2011, 7/10), this year the academy will (seemingly) reciprocate a third Oscar to Brit Daniel Day-Lewis in his rendition of Abraham Lincoln. It

It's hard not to give this film the highest marks. Daniel Day-Lewis is amazing and so perfect. That's no surprise. What surprised me was the fact that so many other great performers were not overshadowed. Tommy Lee Jones nearly steals the show as Thaddeus Stevens, and Sally Field commands her role as Mary Todd Lincoln. Every character gets plenty of screen-time, all the while we are served up a buffet of the greatest portrayal of a US President in the history of cinema.… Expand

I do not know what it is, but "Lincoln" just did not quite do it for me. I felt bored throughout, except of the actual voting (possibly because I am not American and know very little of this history, so I was not sure whether it passed or not), and kept on dozing off every once in a while. However, Lincoln is not all bad. The cast is superb, and Daniel Day-Lewis, yet again, performs his magic to quite an amazing result. Sally Field is also excellent, as are the supporting actors, led by Spader and Strathairn. Honestly, nothing bad can be said of the cast. The art design and costumes were very well done, as was the cinematography. Technically overall the film looks good. But the issue is with the script. It was just not so engaging. I am a sucker for drama, and a sucker for history (I got a degree in it!) but this was just not very entertainingly done. And mind you, I was thoroughly entertained and enjoyed "The Hours," arguably one of the most depressing films in the past decade. "Lincoln" just does not do it for me. This may be my least favourite Spielberg film, which doesn't mean it's bad. It's a good film, just a bit boring.… Expand

Lincoln is exactly just the right amount of how I was expecting this film to be. I can't argue with people who keep on claiming what was really done at that time and what was not. The work of Tony Kushner and Steven Spielberg may base on the real events but it also incorporates a little bit of fiction because it is necessary to keep the film in the right direction. Screenplay is superb and so is the direction. The major plus points of this film are its brilliant photography, production design and breathtaking performances by a stellar cast especially Daniel Day-Lewis. That is one hell of an exceptional portrayal of one of the most important historical figures in the history of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln. Day-Lewis totally stunned me with his performance and I really do want him to win all the major awards this season. Here's why people won't like this film. There is no action in this film whatsoever, and all of the scenes are based on the dialogues. In addition, the run-time of the film is 2 hours and 20 minutes which seems way more than it should be, in the case of a drama film (NOT if you love watching slow paced, dialogues oriented drama films).
Lincoln may not be one of the best films of the year and it might not win the major awards (i.e. Best Director and Best Picture) but it sure as hell deserves all these nominations because that's how great it is which can't be ignored. Lincoln is not just a film, it is an effort by Spielberg to refresh people's history lessons and with that, deliver an important message of equality to our generation. Films like Lincoln should be strongly appreciated because they transform the art in a perfect manner that not only you enjoy it but it also raises a lot of questions in your mind.… Expand

This was a very good movie. Daniel Day-Lewis does an incredible job as he portrays Abraham Lincoln and the rest of the impressive cast does just as well. Truthfully, this was a character and acting driven movie and it had to have been in order to work. The only real negatives to the film, in my opinion, were the length and the slightly misleading name. Regarding the length of the movie, don't get me wrong, I LOVE long films IF they're done well (Lord of the Rings, Braveheart, etc.). While this movie was done well, it easily could've been 15-20 minutes shorter without missing anything critical (which cannot necessarily be said by LOTR or Braveheart). The other thing I mentioned was the misleading name. Obviously Lincoln is still the protagonist but a more accurate title to the movie would've been "The 13th Amendment" because that's the entire focus of the film. Personally, I expected this film to be more like a condensed version of the John Adams mini-series and the title and previews are the reason why. Nonetheless, this was a good movie with fantastic acting and cinematography and I think most people would really enjoy it.… Expand

There is no way this movie did not win 'Best Picture' at the Academy awards. Truly fascinating It kept me glued to the screen. Congratulations to everyone involved here to make such a masterpiece. Daniel Day Lewis is truly an exceptional actor.

Don't let the above plot put you off. Yes, its politics but it's so much more. It's a character study of the highest order. We get to see Lincoln's political machinations, frustrations with public office, as well as his personal strife behind the White House's doors. The narrative never feels dull or anything other than monumentous. I haven't seen any of the films featuring other nominees for Academy Best Actor but I just cannot imagine that any of the performances come close to Daniel Day-Lewis' as Lincoln. Just when you think the guy can't get any better (There Will Be Blood), he steps up to another level. His performance as Lincoln is simply wonderful. Patient, stoic, inspirational, determined, regretful, melancholy, Day-Lewis manages to capture everything.

To heap all the praise on Day-Lewis would be disrespectful to the rest of the cast. Credit where due, Sally Fields is excellent as the Mary Lincoln, Tommy Lee Jones turns in a strong, sombre performance and with the cast on offer I could go on all day.… Expand

History has told us Lincoln is responsible for abolishing slavery, but it's the exasperating hardships and personal sacrifices that forever altered the landscape and direction of this country. Making the amendment battle the cornerstone of the story reveals Lincoln as a simple man, yet equally complex. As the civil war rages on, Lincoln struggles with the carnage on the battlefield, as well as the conflict within his own cabinet pertaining to the Thirteenth Amendment. Spielberg wisely focuses the last three months of Lincoln's life, and his own crisis of conscience between ending the war or slavery. If you're not entirely sure why Lincoln is universally regarded as one of the greatest U.S. presidents going into this movie, you'll have no doubts by the time it's over.

Daniel Day-Lewis doesn't just play Lincoln--he inhabits him. It's a remarkable performance that won another Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for Day-Lewis. With his Oscar winning performance as Lincoln, he became the sixth performer to win more than two Academy Awards, and the first male performer to win three awards for lead roles. Impressive secondary performances abound as well. Sally Field, as Lincoln's unstable wife, delivers a marvelous performance, as does Tommy Lee Jones as the fiery, passionate Thaddeus Stevens. "Lincoln" is an authentic, visual masterpiece--reproducing and portraying the landscape and atmosphere of the 19th century in extraordinary detail. The incredible performances receive most of the notoriety, and rightfully so, but the production values and set design are simply stunning. Jim Erickson (set decorator) and Rick Carter (production designer) both won Oscars for Best Achievement in Production Design.

One requirement upon seeing "Lincoln" is you must commit yourself to two and a half hours of laborious dialog and monologues, from a litany of characters encompassing a variety of topics. A major challenge Spielberg had to overcome is the wealth of information, history, and knowledge of the period--and fitting it into a structured, disciplined film. Throughout the film, there are an abundance of subtleties that can easily go unnoticed, and the demanding content of the film's script makes this a challenging picture to watch.

That being said, "Lincoln" belongs to the ages, and is one of the finest historical films ever made. Steven Spielberg's landmark motion picture enriches the American canon freeing the Great Emancipator from his tintype image in our history books, and explores the wit and wisdom that made the man.… Expand

The main and only con of Lincoln: It's definitely slower than you'd expect. The many wonderful pros of Lincoln: It gives audiences an honest and very detailed look at the life of the 16th president. In addition, the acting is superb. Daniel-Day Lewis is better than ever and truly deserved the oscar that he won for this movie. I also highly enjoyed Tommy Lee Jones in his very convincing role as Thaddeus Stevens. Sally Field was unexpectedly great as Mary-Todd Lincoln. I also enjoyed seeing Joseph Gordon-Levitt play Robert-Todd Lincoln. To sum it all up, despite the rather slow pace of the film, the very strong acting is what really made this movie what it was! A worthwhile, thoughtful, and overdue look at one of our most memorable presidents. Bravo Mr. Spielberg!… Expand

I get so excited when a movie actually lives up to my expectations, and Lincoln does. I have been trying to temper them ever since I found out our greatest actor would be playing our most popular president in a movie written and directed by one of the greatest film makers ever. Thankfully this film lives up to every bit of the hype. First off this movie is absolutely gorgeous. The feel of the era comes through in every single frame. Spielberg captures the image we have of Lincoln as a man perfectly. There are so many shots that we get of Lincoln's profile or where he is walking out of a room and his presence is captured perfectly. This is also a perfectly written script. Again the language is written perfectly for the era and events that we are witnessing. Last but certainly not least the acting is superb across the board. Lewis is every bit of Lincoln that we expect him to be, he captures the image we have of Lincoln in every single scene. Maybe most amazing is that all the other actors never seem dwarfed by Lewis's presence. Whether this is from great casting, acting, or writing doesn't matter, all that matters is that it all works seamlessly. The only reason this movie doesn't get a perfect 10 from me is that there are a few scenes with the "Spielberg cheese". Thankfully they are very minimal, but they will take you out of the film for a moment or two. Otherwise this is a perfect movie, probably my favorite of the last two years.… Expand

Lincoln will likely appeal to political junkies above all others thanks to its complex and in-depth examination of the painstaking process of passing legislation through a gridlocked congress-which has eerie parallels to our current political climate. But the remainder of viewers will have to be satisfied with an expertly crafted, albeit somewhat creaky, historical drama fueled by a career capping turn from Daniel Day-Lewis and an excellent supporting performance from Tommy Lee Jones.… Expand

My favorite movie of 2012. Lincoln is exceptional film making by Steven Spielberg, with brilliant performances by Daniel Day Lewis and Tommy Lee Jones.

A riveting portrait of the last few days of the late president, 'Lincoln' is a highly-tuned piece of historical drama that works almost the same way as a blockbuster thriller, mostly thanks to Daniel Day-Lewis (who presents us with a typically masterful performance), Tony Kushners dense, historically accurate script, and Spielberg's willingness to hold off of sentiment and keep it realistic. In fact, this movie barely feels at all like a work from Steven Spielberg. It feels more like a Sidney Lumet courtroom drama, with occasional blips of Spielberg's touch feeding through. I would have to say that, thanks to this display of restraint, 'Lincoln' marks his best film since 1998's war masterpiece 'Saving Private Ryan'. The entire cast is put to great use, even those actors who might not seem like the right choice for a role that may demand a southern accent and donning a wig (James Spader I'm looking at you). While Daniel Day-Lewis captures with absolute clarity Lincoln's steady mannerisms and droll sense of humor, Tommy Lee Jones provides an antithesis as the spitfire, strongly-voiced abolitionist Stevens. Sally Field also makes a strong return to the screen as Mary Todd Lincoln, perfectly capturing the frantic melodramatic fits that the role requires, while also not submitting to a shallow interpretation of her vibrant character. The rest of the cast shines as well, giving the look of the film the sense of being thoroughly lived-in. While we may never be able to get a 100% valid look into the life of the great man, 'Lincoln' represents the most accurate and engaging exploration of his life ever transmitted to the silver screen and it stands as a hard-won tribute to his accomplishments as well.… Expand

This is the best movie I have seen so far this year. It was entertaining, thoughtful, intellectual, and informative. When I got home, I looked up so many historical issues that the film brought to my attention. I really liked the acting as well and the fact that the characters were developed. It would have been so easy to have just resorted to battlefield scenes and blood to make your point. It was well timed as well since so many of the arguments were similar to what I had just heard in our election. Well worth the time and investment!… Expand

Such a historical time in US history is a hard story to tell on its own, much less the man in charge of the whole mess. I think Speilberg does a great job in creating the mood, distractions, oppositions, co-conspirators and even Lincoln's characters/values become a definition of the film. So many underrated actors play the politicians to perfection-Halbrook (playing Preston), Levitt playing Lincoln's son, Stuhlbarg as Yeaman...so many more. But Day-Lewis is the film as Lincoln, and (of all people) Sally Field as Ms. Lincoln.. Of course, 90% of the film is dialog-mostly related to the politics of the time/amendment-sometimes hard to follow. Only reason I didn't give this a "10" as it seems to be a bit too "heroic" when this time was not "heroic" but rather tragic-which is conveyed thru the colors and tone of the film very well.… Expand

Lincoln is one of Spielberg's better efforts in the last couple of years, a film designed to 'win' lots of Oscars. Despite its slower pace, the film is buoyed completely by Daniel Day Lewis' mesmerizing performance as 'Honest Abe', one of the greatest US President of all time. Ensemble casts are also excellent, with stand outs performance by Tommy Lee Jones and Sally Field. A great portrait of this historical figure and while it is not the best film of the year, it is one of those films that both Critics and Audiences like.… Expand

Daniel Day-Lewis IS Abraham Lincoln in Steven Spielberg

I expected more action than talk, but the dialogue was educating and fleshed out the characters. There were some light moments too, which made the viewing a bit easier. The film dealt more with the politics of the Civil War than the war itself. The acting, of course, couldn't have been better. A few actors from TV were cast. Lewis resembled my image of Lincoln hauntingly well. The movie became something special whenever he was on screen. I eagerly anticipated the ending but found it underwhelming. I think if they had included the viewpoint of the assassin, an established actor lacking for nothing who thought he had to do this as an instrument of God, and the accomplices whose culpability was questionable in one case, we would have had a bit of controversy and more material to chew on. But that's just me.… Expand

Daniel Day-Lewis outperforms himself again this time as Lincoln. The film focuses heavily on Amendment 13 which gets rid of slavery but serves mainly as a device to end the war. There's endless political blabbering (well written mind you) concerning the passing of this amendment and the behind-the-scenes mechanics of it. You'll get some insight into Lincoln's personal life but unexpectedly he's portrayed as a man who kicks ass for goodness, a veritable saint. As much as I enjoyed this well made film I couldn't help but think that this was a product of the Americans obsession with their own culture and history, and for me as a European it just doesn't seem all that important. We know all how it turned out in the end, didn't we … Expand