Movie: Lincoln

It's rare that I go to the movies. This is due mostly to the fact that I have kids. It's also due to the fact that most of the movies I've paid to see are horrible.

So, my wife and I go out to see the movie Lincoln. 2.5 hours long. Daniel Day Lewis, as usual, is simply amazing in his portrayal of Lincoln. His acting is so far above and beyond anyone else in the industry. It's kind of amazing to watch.

However, as a movie goes, I thought there were a couple of things wrong with it.

First, and I don't know what the correct terminology is, it has a hint of Hollywood political correctness. Spielberg is famous for doing this. I'm not going to ruin the movie for anyone and give specific details. However, I will say that the people portraying the representatives of the Democratic party (the party against the abolition of slavery)were made to look sickly, unkempt and had disgusting personalities. The people in the Republican party were made to look healthy, high spirited and righteous.

In addition, there are a few scenes that I believe Spielberg took literary license on and created his own history, to throw his own politically correct views into the movie.

The problem I have with this kind of thing is that I feel manipulated. I feel like the director/producer are treating me like a child and a person who can't think for himself. A perfect example of this is the movie Crash. If you've seen it you know what I mean.

I'm not sure I understand why it has to be this way. Why can't they just make a movie about the 13th Amendment that doesn't have any bias thrown in? Are the producers worried about movie-goer backlash? Something like "they should have made the people who were pro slavery look worse!".

If you're going to make a historical movie like this that is supposed to be as realistic as possible, please leave the political correctness out. It ruins the movie every time.

at first I was disappointed. I thought you had gone to see, Abe Lincoln - Vampire Killer. Then I read your review.

The quality of crap coming out of Hollywood these days is terrible. Must be all the sun, wine and weed.

I've seen the trailer several times. Each time I remark how idiotic it was to have a Brit/Irish actor who can't even lose the accent play Lincoln. And then I think how stupid Lincoln was not to follow up the Emancipation Proclamation with the Repatriation Proclamation. If my wife ever orders this movie On Demand from Comcast and I find out about it, I'll whup her upside the head.

I am reminded of a Firesign Theatre skit about this.


Abe Lincoln wakes up the next morning with an enormous hangover from a nite of drinking:

Aide: "Mr. Lincoln, Mr. Lincoln, wake up!! Have a look at the newspaper headlines!"

Mr Lincoln: "OH MAH GOD!! I DID WHAT???!!!! "