Grade: B

Daniel Day Lewis has the title role of Abraham Lincoln in this period drama from director Steven Spielberg.  Lincoln was a remarkable man, with an incredible life – this film looks at one window of time when Lincoln was able to make slavery illegal.  It’s an interesting history lesson.  Even though we know the outcome, all the little stories, and obstacles, along the way are compelling.  The actors are all very good – but sometimes when there are so many famous faces it takes the audience outside the story.  Tommy Lee Jones was fantastic, but I kept seeing him as Tommy Lee Jones.  Same with Sally Field, who plays Mary Lincoln.  There’s a lot of dialogue.  It would be great to show this film to high school history classes across the country.