--- title: "Lincoln" year: 2012 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/lincoln" fi1m_score: 82 critics_score: 80 critics_reviews: 19 published: "2026-09-17T07:37:25.404318+00:00" updated: "2026-09-17T07:37:38.474341+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Lincoln (2012) Directed by Steven Spielberg · 2h 30m · MPA PG-13 · History, Drama **Fi1m score: 82** · Critics 80 from 19 reviews *In a sentence:* Abraham Lincoln has another anecdote, and for once we are happy to let the meeting overrun > Steven Spielberg makes the fight over abolition absorbing by taking the bargaining seriously, with Daniel Day-Lewis persuasive even at rest. The reverence sometimes gets heavy, but the political detail earns the attention it demands. ## Synopsis Abraham Lincoln (Daniel Day-Lewis) wants to pass the 13th Amendment and abolish slavery, but needs the political support to make it law. William Seward (David Strathairn) and Thaddeus Stevens (Tommy Lee Jones) are among those involved in the struggle. Behind closed doors, negotiation and persuasion expose the compromises required to assemble enough votes. The president brings stories, humour and pressure to the task, facing resistance that a moral case alone cannot overcome. The struggle keeps returning to the practical question of what will make another man agree, and what securing his agreement might cost. ## Review Steven Spielberg makes an absorbing political drama out of the effort to pass the 13th Amendment and abolish slavery. Tony Kushner’s screenplay stays with the bargaining, including the dubious methods used to bring reluctant men round. The question is how a president gets enough people to agree, for their own imperfect reasons, to do something necessary. At 150 minutes, *Lincoln* asks for sustained attention to that work, and mostly rewards it. Daniel Day-Lewis gives Abraham Lincoln enough oddness to stop the intelligence becoming bland. The physical awkwardness, weariness and taste for a story make him enjoyable company, while the flashes of anger prevent us from mistaking patience for passivity. We laughed at his storytelling because he makes the pleasure of keeping other people listening so evident. Even the digressions feel useful: this is a man finding out what his listeners will tolerate, and quietly deciding when to press them. Tony Kushner gives the bargaining the concentration often reserved for a pursuit or a siege. A conversation matters because support can be gained, weakened or lost within it, and the dialogue keeps those possibilities active. The ethical shortcuts are allowed to remain awkward, even when the objective is one we share. That is the film’s most persuasive quality: it makes room for admiration without pretending that decent intentions relieve anyone of the need to negotiate. The supporting cast supplies welcome friction, with Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens especially good at making conviction feel difficult to live alongside. There is pleasure in having so many capable actors working around the central performance. Still, some are given too little space to become more than a pointed contribution to the debate. The film occasionally seems content to let a familiar face supply the human detail that the writing has not provided. Janusz Kamiński’s cinematography makes the interiors handsome, sometimes to the point of distraction. Rick Carter’s production design gives the rooms substance, though the care lavished on them can encourage us to study the furnishings instead of listening. Michael Kahn’s editing keeps the exchanges clear without pretending that every conversation needs to race. John Williams’s music is less helpful when it insists on the dignity of an occasion already carried by the actors. The more serious limitation follows from the narrow focus. Enslaved people’s lives receive less attention than the arguments of the politicians deciding their future, and the film leaves too much of that experience outside its account. We understand the choice: a legislative drama needs to stay close to the legislators. Even so, the moments of sentiment feel less earned when the people with the most at stake remain so far from the centre. Historical dramas can become dutiful when everyone on screen seems aware of being remembered. Here, the actors have votes to secure and difficult colleagues to persuade, and the humour provides a welcome break from the respect. Give it an evening when following the negotiations will feel like a pleasure rather than another job. *Fi1m score 82, published 17 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics respond warmly to Lincoln, praising its narrow focus on the struggle to pass the 13th Amendment rather than an attempt to cover an entire life. Agreement is strongest around Daniel Day-Lewis: the reviews repeatedly single out his restraint, humour and portrayal of a weary, calculating politician. Tony Kushner’s script also draws praise for making negotiation and compromise compelling, while Spielberg’s restrained direction lets the talk and performances carry the drama. The spread runs from enthusiastic approval to mixed responses, with no wholly negative verdicts. Reservations concern dense dialogue, sentimentality and a lack of emotional involvement. Variety admires Day-Lewis but finds the drama somewhat stuffy and stage-bound; The Playlist goes further, finding it dull despite the acting and handsome photography. Historical reservations also cut across the positive consensus: HeyUGuys praises the performances and direction while arguing that the film whitewashes Lincoln’s history. ### Reviews we read (19) - **Empire**, Ian Nathan (90/100, inferred): The critic praises Spielberg and Kushner for narrowing the focus to Lincoln's political maneuvering to pass the 13th Amendment, creating a compelling, talky drama full of personality and beauty rather than a conventional biopic. Day-Lewis's authentic, restrained performance as the witty, devious president stands out as a highlight. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/lincoln-review/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan (90/100, inferred): Spielberg's most restrained and interior film is a towering achievement, with Day-Lewis surpassing himself as Lincoln in a focused drama about the fight to pass the 13th Amendment. Kushner's script and the ensemble cast illuminate a sliver of the president's life with surprising power. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2012-nov-08-la-et-mn-lincoln-review-20121109-story.html) - **The New Yorker**, David Denby (90/100, inferred): Spielberg and Kushner have made an exciting legislative thriller about the political struggle to pass the 13th Amendment, focusing on Lincoln as a shrewd, odd, and powerful actor rather than a pious myth. Day-Lewis's performance captures Lincoln's physical awkwardness, storytelling style, and moments of wrathful majesty. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/six-footnotes-to-the-greatness-of-lincoln) - **The New York Times**, A.O. Scott (90/100, inferred): The film is a splendid, rough and noble democratic masterpiece about a president using political maneuvering to pass the 13th Amendment and end slavery. It places the moral dilemma of abolishing slavery at the center while celebrating Lincoln's triumph amid complications. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/09/movies/lincoln-by-steven-spielberg-stars-daniel-day-lewis.html) - **Vulture**, David Edelstein (90/100, inferred): Praises it as splendid and masterful, focusing on the nuanced portrayal of politics and persuasion, and Day-Lewis's performance bringing Lincoln to life as a man rather than an icon. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2012/11/movie-review-lincoln.html) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (85/100, inferred): Spielberg has crafted a literate, heartfelt and high-minded film about Lincoln's battle to end slavery during his second term, his best in years. The standout element is Daniel Day-Lewis's masterful, unique central performance as a charming yet weary statesman. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/jan/24/lincoln-review) - **Little White Lies**, Vadim Rizov (5/4/3): The critic views it as a rigorous, morally complex procedural on political compromise rather than a standard biopic, praising the performances and unflinching depiction of ethical shortcuts while noting accumulating niggles like sentimentality and weak supporting turns. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/lincoln) - **Time Out**, Dave Calhoun (4/5): The critic highlights the film's sharp focus on backroom wrangling and rhetoric around the 13th Amendment, lauding Day-Lewis's complex, endearing portrayal of Lincoln as a shrewd yet weary figure and the balance between sober drama and stirring moments. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/lincoln) - **Sight and Sound**, Nick Pinkerton (70/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's focus on backroom political persuasion and negotiation over epic war or oratory, crediting Kushner's script and Day-Lewis's subtle, humanizing performance for creating suspense around known history. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/film-week-lincoln) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Todd McCarthy (70/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's intelligent, humorous, and restrained depiction of Lincoln's political maneuvering to pass the 13th Amendment, highlighting Daniel Day-Lewis's performance and the procedural drama, while noting it lacks poetic depth compared to John Ford's film. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/steven-spielbergs-lincoln-movie-review-385705/) - **Variety**, Peter Debruge (70/100, inferred): Day-Lewis delivers an unimpeachable performance in Spielberg's shrewd but somewhat stuffy drama centered on the behind-the-scenes battle to pass the 13th Amendment. Kushner's script emphasizes talk and political wheeling-and-dealing over emotion, resulting in a play-like production that keeps some viewers at arm's length. [Read](https://variety.com/2012/film/reviews/lincoln-1117948666/) - **Evening Standard** (60/100, inferred): The critic finds the film unlikely to stand the test of time due to its dense script, sentimentality, and reliance on saintly supporting characters, but singles out Daniel Day-Lewis's charismatic, humorous, and haunting performance as Lincoln for praise. It is described as handsome and humorous overall. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/lincoln-review-8466513.html) - **Collider**, Dave Trumbore (A-): The critic calls the film an engaging story full of heart, humor and conviction that remains culturally relevant, praising the absorbing lead performance by Daniel Day-Lewis and dynamic writing by Tony Kushner while noting it misses on a few marks. [Read](https://collider.com/lincoln-review/) - **Paste**, David Roark (9.0): The critic hails Lincoln as one of Spielberg’s greatest accomplishments thanks to its strong cast and smart, historically rich story, singling out Daniel Day-Lewis’s masterful restraint and subtle portrayal of the president. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/lincoln) - **The Wrap**, Alonso Duralde (90/100, inferred): The film is one of the best American movies of the year and Spielberg's finest work in decades. It succeeds by focusing tightly on the political maneuvering to pass the 13th Amendment rather than a full biography, with Daniel Day-Lewis delivering a masterful, empathetic performance as Lincoln. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/lincoln-review-riveting-tale-separates-man-monument-64136/) - **Den of Geek**, Ron Hogan (4/5): The critic praises the film as a riveting historical epic with strong performances, especially Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincoln. They highlight the balance of political intrigue, humor, and Spielberg's direction that makes the story personal and engaging. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/lincoln-review/) - **HeyUGuys**, Ty Cooper (4/5): The critic praises the performances, especially Daniel Day-Lewis and Tommy Lee Jones, and Spielberg's restrained direction, but criticizes the film for whitewashing Lincoln's history and not being fully unbiased. Overall, calls it one of the best films of the year. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/lincoln-review/) - **Eye for Film**, Anne-Katrin Titze (65/100, inferred): The critic notes Spielberg balances melodrama and storytelling, praises Day-Lewis's sympathetic portrayal, but points out the film avoids deeper issues of slavery and turns performances into cameos. It's a contained, non-nostalgic historical drama. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/lincoln-2012-film-review-by-anne-katrin-titze) - **The Playlist**, The Playlist Staff (C): The critic finds the film handsomely shot and well-acted but terribly dull and lifeless, a plodding West Wing episode lacking Spielberg's usual flair, though supporting cast enlivens it. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/review-lincoln-is-a-handsomely-shot-immaculately-acted-terribly-dull-historical-biopic-20121113/) ## Details - **Director:** Steven Spielberg - **Director:** Steven Spielberg - **Screenplay:** Tony Kushner - **Cinematography:** Janusz Kamiński - **Editor:** Michael Kahn - **Music:** John Williams - **Production design:** Rick Carter - **Costume design:** Joanna Johnston - **Producer:** Kathleen Kennedy, Steven Spielberg - **Cast:** Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln; Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln; David Strathairn as William Seward; Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Robert Lincoln; James Spader as W.N. Bilbo; Hal Holbrook as Preston Blair; Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens; John Hawkes as Robert Latham - **Runtime:** 2h 30m - **Certificate (MPA):** PG-13 - **Release (the US):** 16 November 2012 - **Genres:** History, Drama - **Budget:** $65 million - **Box office:** $275 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvP-ZrzA2lk ## Where to watch in the US - Apple TV: rent $3.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $19.99, hd - Apple TV: buy $19.99, hd *Checked 2026-09-17.* Also available in: AE, AT, AU, BE, BG, CA, CH, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HU, IE, IL, IT, JP, KR, LT, NL, NO, NZ, PL, PT, SE, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 2013: Best Cinematography (nominated); Best Costume Design (nominated); Best Director (nominated); Best Film Editing (nominated); Best Original Score (nominated); Best Picture (nominated); Best Sound (nominated); Best Supporting Actor (nominated); Best Supporting Actress (nominated); Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (nominated); Best Actor (won); Best Production Design (won) - Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Film 2012: Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Film (won) - Satellite Award for Best Film 2012: Satellite Award for Best Film (won) ## If you liked this - *12 Angry Men* (1957), Fi1m 91: Another patient drama in which persuasion makes every change of mind matter. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/12-angry-men.md) - *A Man for All Seasons* (1966): A historical drama that takes the personal cost of political conviction seriously. - *Z* (1969): Political obstruction becomes a thriller, with anger where the ceremonial respect might be. - *The Minister* (2011): Government work becomes absorbing drama through competing loyalties, ambition and awkward practical decisions. - *Selma* (2014), Fi1m 84: A useful next step towards the people organising beyond the rooms of government. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/selma.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/lincoln