Although Lincoln (Daniel Day-Lewis) passed the Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War, he wanted to insure the freedom of the slaves by passing the 13th Amendment, but the Civil War had long raged on and the House of Representatives simply didn't want to commit. Lincoln's right hand, William Seward (David Straithern) put his best team of men onto seeing that he secured the required number of votes in order to pass this all-important amendment and it is quite shocking to see the lengths to which these men went to get the job done.
Thaddeus Stevens (Tommy Lee Jones) held powerful sway with the members of Congress, but so did the Amendment's greatest opposer, the outspoken Fernando Wood (Lee Pace). Even as a group of Confederate spokesmen traveled to meet with Lincoln in an attempt to end the war, he worked furiously to pass the amendment securing freedom and equality for all. As his relationships with his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln (Sally Field) and his eldest son Robert (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) crumbled, still he would not give up. His valor and tenacity was rewarded with just enough votes to pass the amendment.
Daniel Day-Lewis is simply amazing as Abraham Lincoln. It's as if he became the man. However, the entire cast is fantastic and is bursting at the seams with talent including those earlier mentioned but also James Spader, Hal Holbrook, John Hawkes, Jackie Earle Haley, Michael Stuhlbarg, and many more. The special features are not abundant, but each one is informative and entertaining. Personally, I prefer fewer special features that are higher quality and that's what you have here. It is absolutely fascinating to see the lengths Spielberg and the filmmakers went to in order to ensure the authenticity of the sets and it shows. Lincoln also looks and sounds exquisite on Blu-ray.
Even though the movie clocks in at about 2.5 hours, Lincoln is an amazing film about one of the most important figures in American history. He is literally brought to life on the screen here. Highly recommended.
