Sunday, November 25, 2012

What a surprise! Movie Review: LINCOLN

Honestly, I don't know how to describe how I feel about this movie. It wasn't my intent to see it last night. I was coming out of Barnes & Noble and I saw a long line of people spilling out of the theater, waiting to go in to see LINCOLN. I saw the same thing last weekend when I passed by. My curiosity got the better of me. I had a free ticket, so I checked to see if I could use it for this movie and I discovered I could. I figured what the heck. Let's see what all the fuss is about. I had a good time just talking to people waiting on line and inside the theater before the film began. *shaking my head* And then the movie started...

Lol...I didn't have a clue about what was going to take place in this movie. I assumed it was going to show a lot of action, drama and war scenes from the civil war. Indeed, that is exactly the first scene that came on the screen when the movie began: a brutal, vicious fight scene. Yep. That was the first fight scene...and the last! Oh yeah. There was a war going on, but you didn't see it. You heard about it---through the characters---talking about it. I was not expecting that. Judging by the sighs coming from the audience, neither were a lot of people.

I hate to say this. I really do, but this movie bored me to tears! I hate to say this because it wasn't a bad movie. It was well acted and well-conceived. It just wasn't very entertaining. I mean, I learned a lot. It's great for understanding Lincoln's struggle to get the 13th Amendment passed to abolish slavery and getting a sense of the politics and the mindset of the American public at that time. Those are worthy goals. It took the viewer into the mind of Lincoln and gave a glimpse into his family life as a husband and father---totally cool---but there was a lot of talking---and I mean A LOT.  There were some funny scenes and at times, the political drama did have me on the edge of my seat, but such excitement was pretty sparse. I kept holding out for some war action, drama---something to get my blood pumping and it didn't happen.

I have such mixed feelings about this review because it's a good movie with an important message---especially during these political times when those in Washington are loath to compromise to get anything done. Lincoln was a master compromiser and pragmatist.

It's worth seeing. Just don't expect to see much action. It's a more cerebral film. If it were a book, it would be a literary one, not a commercial blockbuster. One thing is for sure: Daniel Day Lewis is a heck of an actor. He was Lincoln!  

Toodles, ya'll!







No comments:

Post a Comment

I enjoy reading what you have to say. Seriously!