LINCOLN IS THE FIRST Spielberg-directed movie that I have seen twice during its initial run (as I recall).  In fact, I left the theater opening weekend thinking that I had to see it again.  It’s a dialogue movie, what one called “a Sorkin walk-and-talk without all the walking.”  From Daniel Day-Lewis’ utterly complete turn as the title character to the beautifully filmed (but not overly-beautifully filmed) product, the movie misses nary a beat.  True, it takes a while to get used to such obvious actors as Sally Field (she gets at least two brilliant moments in the movie) and Tommy Lee Jones (almost ever moment he gets is brilliant).  But I was also pleasantly surprised at John Williams’ wonderfully sedate soundtrack (though it did sound a bit much like Warhorse at times).

I wonder if it’s possible to make a horrible movie about Abraham Lincoln (assuming there are no vampires).  He’s such an imposing figure, inspiring on so many levels.  And this movie makes him out to be so utterly human.  It makes you wonder what it takes to become that.

Money quote from the movie is, of course, found in Lincoln’s writings:

 True North is essential, but you also have to navigate swamps and deserts and chasms along the way– however grubby the journey may be.  If you can’t do that, what’s the good of knowing true north?

It’s one thing to know the way, and almost something else entirely to help people get there.