Lincoln (2013)

Director:
Steven Spielberg
Starring:
Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tommy Lee Jones
Genre:
Historical
Rating:
A well-made film with consistently superb acting.

The film mirrors President Lincoln's final tumultuous time in the White House. He was born in 1809 as the second child of a simple family in Kentucky. The year is now 1865.

President Abraham Lincoln was very fond of children and, along with his wife Mary, had children Robert, Edward, and Tad. Tragically, in 1862, the couple lost their son William at 12 years old. Mary never recovered from William's passing; she became brooding and struggled with her mental health.

The nation is deeply divided by the bloody Civil War, and Lincoln does everything in his power to stop the war and unite the country. This honest man knows that his decisions will be decisive for the lives of future generations. He is ready to break the law to stop the war and abolish slavery.

A well-made film with consistently superb acting, which earned Daniel Day-Lewis a Golden Globe for Best Actor (Drama).

Reviewed by Iva (January 2013)
Editor's Note (2026): Daniel Day-Lewis's performance as Lincoln is often cited as one of the greatest in modern cinema. Iva highlights the personal tragedy behind the monumental historical decisions.

The Iva Bring-Johansson Collection Project

Originally produced as a weekly segment for HIT FM Stockholm, these reviews represent a lifetime of cinematic insight. Today, the archive is an evolving digital project, meticulously translating Iva’s original 1979–2021 work into English.

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