History YMMV / Lincoln

** Creator/AdamDriver, a.k.a [[Franchise/StarWars Kylo Ren]], appears as a telegraph operator that Lincoln has a conversation about equality with.

** Much is made in the movie of the family's coping with the recent death of middle son Willie. History buffs will know that adorable Tad himself lived only six more years after the events of the film.
** Mary says Abraham will have to have her committed to an asylum if Robert is killed in the war. After the President's death, Robert will be forced to do just that.

* HarsherInHindsight: Much is made in the movie of the family's coping with the recent death of middle son Willie. History buffs will know that adorable Tad himself lived only six more years after the events of the film.

** Hal Holbrook, who plays Francis Preston Blair, played Lincoln in the miniseries' ''Lincoln'' (1976) and ''North and South, Book II'' (1986).

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* AwardSnub: ''Lincoln'' was expected to be the heavyweight of the 85th Oscars, leading with twelve nominations, but it only ended up winning two, Best Production Design and Best Actor. And even then, the Production Design win was seen as more of a slight surprise, compared to other lavish period pieces like ''Literature/AnnaKarenina'' and ''Film/LesMiserables2012''. Some were also disappointed that Tommy Lee Jones didn't win Best Supporting Actor for his fiery, scene-stealing performance as Thaddeus Stevens, and there's a sizable contingent of fans who were quite cranky that Creator/SallyField didn't win for Best Supporting Actress[[note]]though the fact that she ''already'' has two Oscars did dampen the crankiness a bit[[/note]].

* GeniusBonus: Possibly. In the scene where Robert returns, he is greeted enthusiastically by Tad, who starts chattering away at him while somebody shoves a petition at him about his insolvency proceedings, asking if the President can look at it. What Tad is saying is almost completely incomprehensible but listening closely you can tell he's talking about Charles Darwin and the ''Origin of Species''. [[note]] This may have been intended as a brief nod to the fact that Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin were born on the same day.[[/note]]

** It also serves as one to ''Film/AmazingGrace'', a biography of William Wilberforce, and his similar efforts to outlaw the slave-trade in the English Parliament.

* SpiritualSuccessor: Tony Kushner said that he and Spielberg saw this film as a delayed sequel to Creator/JohnFord's 1940 ''Film/YoungMrLincoln''. That film showed Lincoln near the start of his career, this film shows Lincoln at the very end.

* UnfortunateImplications:
** [[http://carpetbagger.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/07/mr-spielberg-connecticut-objects/?_r=0 There was significant outcry from the state of Connecticut]] after the film depicted most of its House reps voting against the amendment when in actuality all of them voted for it. Modern-day Connecticut Rep. Joe Courtney was even among the protesters, writing to Dreamworks urging them to change this for the film's Blu-Ray release. Screenwriter Tony Kushner defended the decision by saying the scene represented both the early opposition to the amendment for dramatic tension (Connecticut is the first state to vote in the scene) and Connecticut's then-ambivalence towards Lincoln (he only received 51% of vote there come reelection.)
** A New York Times piece [[http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/13/opinion/in-spielbergs-lincoln-passive-black-characters.html?pagewanted=1 protested the film's few, mostly passive black characters]], making it seem [[WhiteMansBurden as though they contributed nothing to their own freedom]] (other than the black soldiers at the beginning and at the first scene with Stephens). This stands out considering an early draft for the film was about Lincoln's friendship with Frederick Douglas (who does not appear nor is mentioned in the film.)

* AwardSnub: ''Lincoln'' was expected to be the heavyweight of the 85th Oscars, leading with twelve nominations, but it only ended up winning two, Best Production Design and Best Actor. And even then, the Production Design win was seen as more of a slight surprise, compared to other lavish period pieces like ''Literature/AnnaKarenina'' and ''Film/LesMiserables2012''. Some were also disappointed that Tommy Lee Jones didn't win Best Supporting Actor for his fiery, scene-stealing performance as Thaddeus Stevens.

** It also serves as as one to ''Film/AmazingGrace'', a biography of William Wilberforce, and his similar efforts to outlaw the slave-trade in the English Parliament.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: After [[spoiler: the passage of the 13th Amendment its supporters]] start singing the "Battle Cry of Freedom" in the Capitol and on the streets. The congressmen actually start doing it while still inside the Capitol.