A suspiciously easy film to watch, Daniel Day-Lewis's famed performance is a technical tour de force that smacks more of mimicry than artistry. Of course, I've never seen any indication that Sheridan possesses much of the latter. He always seems scared of prolonging audience discomfort -- an ironic fear given his tough choices in subject matter -- and seizes every opportunity here to undercut pain and menace with wit. This is paint-by-numbers biopic as Oscar-winning crowd-pleaser.
[Viewed 1/9/10 on 35mm]
