Lincoln
User Score
7.5 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 467 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 383 out of 467
  2. Mixed: 38 out of 467
  3. Negative: 46 out of 467

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  1. evancuster
    Nov 24, 2012
    4
    I must be in the minority, but I was very disappointed with "Lincoln". I really enjoy history and biography, had read Goodwin's book and had heard almost unanimous praise for the movie. However, I thought the film was tedious, the script very stilted, and the acting rather mundane. If this had been a movie without the hype, the well known cast and director, and the subject, I am sure more of the critics would have panned it. I kept looking at my watch and wondering when it was going to show all the great things that had been written about it. A real disappointment.… Expand
  2. foundationcitiz
    Nov 27, 2012
    3
    If you look at many of the good reviews, you will see the problem, in my mind, with this movie. It is a bit too slow, too monotone, and simply too stuffy. There could have been so much more color and life. I think we should have seen different perspectives, such as from the angle of a simple working person and from the angle of the south. The movie leaves out Lincoln's great speeches, making only brief references. The movie leaves out the assassination, and what we know about who did it and why. The real death blow to the movie, for me, was the lack of vigor in why and what they were fighting for. After all, huge numbers of americans died. So, for me the movie was a dud. I think a lot of people are caught up in the moment. By the way, the supporting acting was GREAT, and I would give an award to Sally Fields.… Expand
  3. Darkjoker28
    Nov 9, 2012
    10
    Oh, this is beautiful film-making. Spielberg takes you on a ride inside Lincoln's mind and his intimate conflicts, in such a pretty and touching way...
    DDL is outstanding once again, and this will be seriously a big contender to the award season. I bet .
  4. scriptsmotion
    Nov 9, 2012
    9
    I was enthralled from the start.
    http://scriptsmotion.wordpress.com/2012/11/09/lincoln/

    While it isn
  5. KJJ
    Nov 10, 2012
    9
    First rate look at the personal side of real people written about so much as "legend" that you forget. Is Rex Reed serious about this being a "bore"? When is he going to retire and stop boring us?
  6. kubr1ck
    Nov 11, 2012
    10
    they might as well give day-lewis the oscar now. he outdoes even himself here. a truly lived-in character right from the start. and kushner's script is unbelievable. bravo
  7. nautico
    Nov 17, 2012
    8
    Three things struck me about this excellent movie. First, at times I thought I was watching a play, not a flick. Lots of set pieces shot on sound stages. 90% dialogue, 10% action. Secondly, I found that dialogue to be self-consciously archaic, sometimes almost Shakespearian in syntax and dialect. (That always makes me wonder how close screenwriters and directors really come to the speech patterns that actually existed back in the day. Since we have no recordings from that era, movie makers must use diaries for clues and examples. That said, I suspect that a) the written word was different from the spoken and b) oratorical speech more different from conversational speech than it is today.)

    Thirdly, I thought Speilberg's tone to be a bit didactic, as if he wanted to educate all of us on the mechanics of what it took Abe to get the 13th amendment passed. I found this to be neither good nor bad, just noticeable.    … Expand
  8. LeonidasPeplis
    Dec 3, 2012
    8
    Spielberg & Tony Kushner managed to to transfer us into the mind of Lincoln giving us a historical thriller that will soon become a "Classic".The film has the two "battlefields" of war and politics that keep us on the edge of our seats.As it goes for Daniel Day-Lewis(Lincoln) I have only one word: "Breathtaking".
  9. frozenpinky
    Nov 9, 2012
    8
    Who is this R. Kurt Osenlund of Slant Magazine that writes, "Steven Spielberg's LINCOLN film may further the heroism so associated with its subject, and favor a liberal viewpoint that leers down at the Confederates, but it's no bleeding-heart glamorization." ? Who says conservatives were in favor of the Confederates? Lincoln was a conservative Republican, and most of the Confederates were Southern Democrats. People don't seem to realize that it's Republicans who were and still are the true "liberals": those in favor of liberty, freedom, and self-determinism (the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness) for all people. The movie is good, though. Just ignore Slant Magazine.… Expand
  10. BHBarry
    Nov 10, 2012
    8
  11. TVJerry
    Nov 16, 2012
    9
    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
  12. cameronmorewood
    Nov 20, 2012
    10
    The ingenuity of the script in impeccable. Never has a film payed such careful attention to the details of politics. Yet even through all the detail, and all the material covered, Speilberg's Lincoln is compulsively watchable. The result is a great American movie.
  13. Bart
    Nov 23, 2012
    1
    In this movie Spielberg does to history what John Wilkes Booth did to Lincoln. Everyone knows how Spielberg voted, but just in case you were wondering, see this film. Slow and plodding at best, and for those who like history, it is a train wreck. DDL does a great performance, but Spielberg's politically motivated style kills what could have been a good film, and does a great disservice to a great man. While they got DDL spot on casting wise for Lincoln, did the casting people ever look at a picture of Mary Todd Lincoln? Pass this movie by and take the time to read a good book on Lincoln, you will be better off. Saying this movie is based on historical events is like saying Twilight is a documentary.… Expand
  14. gfny
    Nov 16, 2012
    8
    If you are looking for action pass this by. The movie is like watching a chess game. Slow thinking, planning and timing
  15. GreatMartin
    Nov 16, 2012
    5
    Daniel Day-Lewis IS Abraham Lincoln in Steven Spielberg
  16. Makaliah18
    Nov 18, 2012
    9
    Interesting movie. It prompted me to read Ms. Goodwin's book. There were several actors that I absolutely loved seeing and they all did an amazing job.
  17. Jribs
    Nov 19, 2012
    10
    My girlfriend fell asleep during this movie, but I sure didn't. It is dialogue heavy which I'm sure everybody has heard. The screenplay is excellent though, allowing for moments of subtlety where other movies would be afraid to bore the audience. The acting accompanying the screenplay works perfectly as every character seemed to be cast perfectly to suite their role. Great supporting roles in this movie go even further than Tommy Lee Jones and Sally Field. James Spader is a surprisingly hilarious addition to the cast and Joseph Gordon-Levitt brought added drama to the film. See it if you are slightly educated in Civil War history, and can enjoy a well-written film.… Expand
  18. MarcDoyle
    Nov 20, 2012
    7
    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.
  19. Oroiael
    Nov 22, 2012
    4
    If you want a constant reminder of how Spielberg voted in the last election, then watch this movie. Otherwise, read a solid biography on Lincoln. Spielberg's movie making is about as subtle as a five year-old screaming for candy in your ear. Most of the movie feels wooden and plastic, if that is even possible. On the up side, it is a movie about Lincoln, so there is a fair amount of feel-good American jingoism.… Expand
  20. wvmoviefan
    Dec 5, 2012
    4
    Too political and too talkative! Stellar performances elevate this film and make it appear much better than it is. It's typical Spielberg......history as he wants us to remember it.....all the characters are literally black or white. Even the "lobbyists" are good despite devious methods used because they're on the right side. Smacks of Spielberg's earlier work Amistad where he didn't acknowledge that slavery began with people being captured and sold by members of their own race. The only real moments of connection are made in scenes with Sally Field and Lincoln's interactions with his older son. The opening scene gives us a compass as to where we're headed....these "real" soldiers can remember the Gettysburg address word for word after hearing it once? reading it where? having time to memorize it when? Even those of us who were around in the Kennedy years are forturnate to remember one, maybe two lines of a famous speech. Spielberg needs to leave history alone if he's not really interested in giving us the true picture.… Expand
  21. Leftyy
    Dec 29, 2012
    10
    A joyous bundle of history and excellence. The movie plays out in a slow and slightly reserved fashion, rewarding those who pay close attention to the details of the well-versed dialogue. The acting on all fronts in spectacular, and it not only paints a detailed and acute description of one of the most important pieces of American history, but does well in honoring the great United States President and showing you a great depiction of his life and those around him. By the end, you'll feel your own sense of emotional accomplishment and maybe even feel smarter. Overall, a glorious film, and my personal movie of the year.… Expand
  22. UnclearImage
    Jan 2, 2013
    10
    A wonderful movie, it tells the part of the story that wasn't told- the struggles Lincoln had to deal with in his fight versus the Democrats and even within his own party. It's a compelling drama, in the spirit of "The King's Speech" after watching this movie I admired Lincoln, and wished I had been around to hear one of his "stories"
  23. noco71
    Jan 10, 2013
    10
    I can understand why on the surface alot of people may have found this movie to be boring. But when you give it a chance and look and enjoy the performances of all the leads , I found it anything but boring. Daniel Day Lewis is incredible and James Spader was surprisingly good too. I think it was a great choice not to include any real action sequences in the movie , as I feel they would have felt completely out of place and fo4ced in a movie like this. Overall I was glued from start to finish. Wonderful stuff.… Expand
  24. SHANKROID
    Feb 16, 2013
    0
    If there was ever a movie that WASN'T what it said on the tin, this is it. It kicks off with yer man from My Left Foot, here with a funny hat and beard for whatever reason, sitting about drinking tea and telling stories. This goes on for quite a bit. Dunno what he was saying. I don't think the other characters were even listening. Half an hour in and still no sign of the vampires, so I fast forwarded a bit (don't ask me how I did this in the cinema). Watched another scene. Tommy Lee Jones out of off of US Marshals pops up with a silly wig. Still no action. Fast forwarded again and the end credits were rolling. Maybe I skipped past the vampire scenes. And this is supposed to win Oscars? Pfft...… Expand
  25. dante_finn
    Nov 17, 2012
    10
    Steven Spielberg's movie made a huge impression in theators. With a blazing $85,846. The movie has such a great cast. This is what a biography film should be like.
  26. BKM
    Nov 19, 2012
    7
    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
  27. CBN
    Nov 21, 2012
    8
    Day-Lewis proves once again he is the best actor of his generation. Spielberg's touch and mastery are all over the film, yet a bit hard to follow at time with the onslaught of new characters and dialogue. Overall, a wonderful movie experience.
  28. theoffice
    Nov 21, 2012
    7
    A drama movie laden with history and political theater. The pacing starts off a little slow but picks up nicely at the end. I will admit it was hard to understand all the references at times but the movie does a great job of keeping you engrossed in the time period. I highly suggest you read about the history of the 13th amendment to understand the film better as I think you'll get more enjoyment from it. I will watch this again for sure. Turned out to be pretty powerful.… Expand
  29. papai
    Nov 24, 2012
    10
    Lincoln is one of the greatest biopics of all time.Steven spielberg has done an incredible job.this movie is grand.the cinematography is amazing.All the performances are astonishing.daniel day lewis delivers the performance of a lifetime.
  30. Momon
    Nov 26, 2012
    5
    Not so great movie.i really thought it was and awesome movie. turns out it really a shallow movie. but i must commend on the story of Abraham Lincoln. it was nice and appropriate story of putting down the axe and using the words and politics. a lot of better movies out there.
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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
86 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 44 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 41 out of 44
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 44
  3. Negative: 0 out of 44
  1. Total Film
    Reviewed by: Kate Stables
    Jan 11, 2013
    80
    Steeped in the bitter political divisions of the Civil War, Spielberg's thrilling film about hardwon freedoms is immersed in its own time, but speaks eloquently to ours.
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  2. Empire
    Reviewed by: Ian Nathan
    Jan 10, 2013
    100
    As unexpected as it is intelligent, thanks to virtuoso work from Spielberg and Kushner, Lincoln is landmark filmmaking, while Day-Lewis is so authentic he pulls off that stovepipe.
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  3. Slate
    Reviewed by: Dana Stevens
    Jan 1, 2013
    80
    Lincoln does sometimes get a little sappy around the edges. Though his project here is clearly one of conscious self-restraint, Spielberg can't resist the occasional opportunity for patriotic tear-jerking, usually signaled by a swell of John Williams' symphonic score. But in between, there are long stretches that are as quiet, contemplative, and austere as anything Spielberg has ever done.
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