Overview
A pivotal moment in American history unfolds as a president fights for freedom.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- dignified
- witty
- contemplative
- historical film night
- political drama marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly acclaimed the film as a witty, dignified, deeply immersive historical drama elevated by Daniel Day-Lewis’s extraordinary performance and Tony Kushner’s writing.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Lincoln urgently pursues enough congressional votes to pass the constitutional amendment before peace ends the political opportunity.
Lincoln weighs methods that may be ethically questionable against the chance to end slavery and save lives through an earlier peace.
Daniel Day-Lewis presents Lincoln as patient, witty, self-confident, burdened, and vulnerable rather than as an untouchable monument.
The film immerses viewers in 1865 Washington, congressional chambers, domestic interiors, and the practical textures of wartime government.
Films like Lincoln, and why
The Iron Lady
Like Lincoln, this is an acclaimed historical biopic centered on moral leadership, political power, and a commanding central performance.
Darkest Hour
Both are serious, meticulously acted historical dramas about national crisis and leaders forced to balance principle against political necessity.
JFK
Both combine war-era history with intimate leadership portraits, eloquent dialogue, and ethical conflict inside government.
Amistad
Both are richly detailed historical dramas about slavery, political struggle, and the painful transformation of American institutions.
Movie Details
- Director
- Steven Spielberg
- Release Date
- 2012-11-09
- Runtime
- 150 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (4154)
Cast
- Daniel Day-Lewis
- Sally Field
- David Strathairn
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt
- James Spader
- Hal Holbrook
- Tommy Lee Jones
- John Hawkes
- Jackie Earle Haley
- Bruce McGill
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Lincoln about?
- Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln turns the final fight to abolish slavery into an intimate, witty, and morally charged drama of presidential persuasion.
- What is Lincoln like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Lincoln as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Lincoln violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Lincoln as mild.
- What did critics think of Lincoln?
- Critics broadly acclaimed the film as a witty, dignified, deeply immersive historical drama elevated by Daniel Day-Lewis’s extraordinary performance and Tony Kushner’s writing.
- Which films are like Lincoln?
- Films with a similar feel include The Iron Lady, Darkest Hour, JFK, and Amistad.
- How long is Lincoln?
- Lincoln runs 150 minutes.
- Where can I watch Lincoln?
- In United States, Lincoln is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
