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The Better Angels
By Sandie Angulo Chen,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Contemplative but pretentious drama about Lincoln's boyhood.

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The Better Angels
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What's the Story?
THE BETTER ANGELS is a black-and-white drama depicting a time in President Abraham Lincoln's boyhood when he lived in his Indiana log cabin with his parents, older cousin, and sister. During this time, Lincoln's loving mother (Brit Marling) dies of milk poisoning; afterward, his stern-but-fair father, Thomas Lincoln (Jason Clarke), leaves for a period, returning with a new wife -- a widow with two children. Lincoln's stepmother (Diane Kruger) works hard to restore order and happiness to Abraham and his sister Sarah's home.
Is It Any Good?
Director AJ Edwards' debut feature is technically memorable, particularly thanks to cinematographer Matthew J. Lloyd. But the film itself -- despite its compelling subject matter of Lincoln's early years -- doesn't rise above much more than a feature-length Terrence Malick tribute. (If you want to be even less charitable, the voice-over heavy, lyrical story is like a film student's assignment to make something in the signature style of his favorite director.) Malick isn't just a mentor of Edwards' but is also a producer (and formerly attached director) of The Better Angels, so it's not surprising that the movie bears such a strong resemblance to Malick's work.
The nearly dialogue-free performances are all nuanced and expressive -- with Clarke, Marling, and Kruger doing a lovely job with their roles. Young Abe actor Braydon Denney is sweet and reflective and brings his eyes to heaven throughout the film. The story covers two of the most important events in Lincoln's young life -- his mother's death and the arrival of his stepmother -- and both are captured with a poignant intimacy. Lincoln (or Malick) aficionados will be attracted to the movie, but anyone else might be a tad bored with the poetic proceedings that, while beautiful, could also be perceived as pretentious and even boring.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the enduring fascination with president Lincoln. How does The Better Angels compare to other movies about the 16th president? Which do you think are the most accurate? Why might filmmakers tweak actual events?
Discuss the way that The Better Angels relies on voice overs instead of dialogue. Does this make the story harder to follow?
Some critics have complained that the movie goes beyond being an homage to director Terrence Malick and just seems like a copycat. If you're familiar with Malick's signature style, do you agree?
Movie Details
- In theaters: November 7, 2014
- On DVD or streaming: March 3, 2015
- Cast: Jason Clarke , Diane Kruger , Brit Marling
- Director: A.J. Edwards
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Amplify
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: History
- Run time: 95 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: thematic elements and brief smoking
- Last updated: February 26, 2022
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