Movie review: Lincoln

A couple of things really stood out to me while watching the new movie Lincoln: 1)Some things really have changed. I was amazed at how Lincoln would get on a horse and go visit the troops during the Civil War--or let people just wander into the White House to talk to him. No huge motorcades or massive security (though the latter might have saved his life at Ford's Theater, who knows?). 2)When it comes to politics in Washington, some things will never change. I was amused by all the horse trading going on as Lincoln and his supporters tried to drum up enough votes to get the 13th Amendment (abolishing slavery) passed in the House. Abraham Lincoln has always been a kind of mythical figure. And you can see why he was such a good president, a man who was willing to work both sides of the aisle to stop slavery, end the war and welcome the Southern states back into the fold without recrimination. But this movie also shows that he was a real human being--a man who loved his kids, squabbled with his wife and could drive people crazy with his long-winded stories. Daniel Day-Lewis, as always, is excellent. But so are many of the actors in supporting roles--James Spader, Tommy Lee Jones, Gloria Ruben to name but a few. Although I thought it was a little bit too long, I definitely recommend Lincoln.