Customer Reviews
I was fortunate to see a screening of The Iron Lady, and can report that expectations that Meryl Streep's performance is incredible are fully justified. Having seen her in many roles, this was not surprising--she's widely regarded as one of the greatest living actresses--but her transformation here into an elderly woman, including the accent, the makeup, the attitudes and personality, is nothing short of astonishing. Thatcher's very conservative politics and abrasive manner are of course very controversial--and this portrayal of them is very timely. But regardless of the viewer's politics, I can't imagine anyone watching this and not feeling he or she has seen something remarkable.The story of Thatcher's life is told through a series of flash backs experienced by the woman long after she left office as the British prime minister with the longest tenure of the 20th century, and its first woman PM. We see how she entered politics, met her husband, rose to power, earned the Iron Lady nickname, and was pushed from office by her own party. For those unfamiliar with her life and politics, it's educational, at least superficially. An attempt is made to deviate from the straightforward biopic format by having Thatcher's mind failing during her old age, resulting in hallucinations about her deceased husband punctuating the film. This device is effective, but still, this is a not-quite-conventional movie about the life of one historical figure, made interesting primarily by Streep's stunning ability to inhabit her subject, and thereby not only cause us to appreciate Streep's art, but also feel at least a little compassion for an aging woman no longer in power.
By
Anthony Sanchez (Fredericksburg, va United States) (VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)
I saw this movie last night and I was looking forward to seeing it. I don't count myself as a fan of Thatcher's politics, but I do admire her as a person. She had an important role in the fall of the Soviet states and in transforming the American political role in the world. Therefore, I hoped to enjoy a biographical movie that of course would include much of the usual literary license that is part of the Hollywood operation.What I got, though, left me empty. The role of Thatcher was certainly well performed by Streep and there is nothing for me to add from what others have state d and will state. I'm sure she will obtain another Oscar nomination. If that is all that interests you in movie going, then enjoy! But for those of you with more of an intellectual side, I would suggest waiting for the DVD to rent. The central problem I believe is that the makers wanted to portray the strong, independent woman, but I have to believe that they dislike her politics and they could not allow a movie viewer the opportunity to agree with the conservatism of Thatcher-especially in a presidential election year. They missed no chance to attach a failure (implied or factual) for any Thatcher success and if that wasn't enough, they portrayed her as a lonely, dementia suffering, old woman for whom time has left behind and for whom the political world has completely forgotten. Here is what troubled me the most; this is a movie about an important political ally for whom one would be ashamed to show the movie to that person. Well, one Should be ashamed anyways. What also troubles me is that Streep has too much say so in her movies at this stage of her career. She should have stepped in and said, "Enough with these hallucinations, let's show more of this woman's actual career!" Too bad she did not.
By
E. Bukowsky "booklover10" (NY United States) (VINE VOICE) (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER) (TOP 50 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
Some reviewers have panned "The Iron Lady," directed by Phyllida Lloyd from a screenplay by Abi Morgan. They resent the filmmakers' portrayal of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, one of the most controversial political figures of the twentieth century, as an elderly woman in decline. Lloyd shows Thatcher having hallucinations, during which she converses with her departed husband, Denis. She is forgetful, distracted, and lives more in the past than in the present. Other critics have suggested that "The Iron Lady" gives short shrift to Thatcher's political career, placing too much emphasis on her personality and her relationship with family and colleagues.It is unfair to condemn the movie that Lloyd and Morgan should have made. "The Iron Lady" is not meant to be a conventional biopic that focuses solely on how Thatcher's conservative policies affected Great Britain between 1979 and 1990. Lloyd and Morgan have a different purpose in mind--to examine what drove Margaret Roberts to embark on a political career; the difficulties she faced juggling marriage, parenthood, and her busy work schedule; and the price that she (and some might say her country) paid for her stubborn adherence to what she considered to be non-negotiable principles. We observe Thatcher's life through the prism of her memories, as she recalls events from her girlhood, courtship with Denis, and turbulent years in office.Meryl Streep is exceptional as Margaret Thatcher. Her facial expressions, carriage, and voice perfectly convey Thatcher's ambition, single-mindedness, and determination. Streep also reveals her subject's flaws: Thatcher could be petty, unfeeling, and domineering. The most poignant and memorable scenes depict Mrs. Thatcher more than two decades after she retired as frightened, confused, lonely, and preoccupied with bygone events. Jim Broadbent is superb as Denis, who applauded his wife's triumphs but resented her bossiness and obstinacy. There are wonderfully humorous moments and some scenes that may reduce the audience to tears. The movie is not perfect. At times the script and the score are heavy-handed and manipulative. However, most viewers will understand if not empathize with the grocer's daughter who attended Oxford and went on to govern Great Britain for over a decade. Right or wrong, she was destined to make history.
By
Mark J. Fowler "Let's Play Two!" (Jacksonville, Florida) (VINE VOICE)
Let me begin by saying that I think Meryl Streep is perhaps the most talented actress to EVER appear in films. It is no coincidence that she has been nominated for Academy Awards and Golden Globes more often than any other person.That being said, "The Iron Lady" is neither a "crown jewel" nor a "feather in her cap."There must have been a powerful draw to portray Dame Margaret Thatcher, the first (and so far, only) female Prime Minister of Great Britain. But when I think of recent "real-life" biopics like "Ray" or "The King's Speech" (or even "Julie & Julia", which featured Streep as famed Chef Julia Child), "The Iron Lady" falls short. Far short.The film is anchored in a recent time - with Mrs. Thatcher an old widow, at least a little demented and frequented by hallucinations of her dead husband, played by Jim Broadbent in maybe the film's best performance. The rest of the film is told in clumsy flashbacks, but always returns to doddering old Maggie - Ms. Streep under an often distractingly bad pile of makeup. Old Margaret shuffles around the house, looks confused, stares out the window, and absolutely sucks any life from the narrative. (Here the fault lies not with Ms. Streep, but with the screenplay and direction. And perhaps editor. Was there no one putting the final product together who looked at "the fo rest" and noticed "hey... we've got about half of the running time devoted to old Margaret shuffling around, getting in and out of bed, etc.?")In REALLY brief don't-blink-or-you'll-miss-them flashbacks we see the Margaret who grows up the daughter of a grocer with a political bent, marries a young earnest man who sees that Margaret is determined to become the powerful half of a couple, has twins, runs for office, and is finally thrust forward as Leader of the Conservative Party and elected Prime Minister.In a good biopic (like last year's King's Speech) you get a good feel for not only the central figure, but also those surrounding. In "The Iron Lady" I never felt any connection to anyone. Other players, such as daughters, other members of Parliament or American Secretaries of State, show up long enough to be cast aside by the ambitious "Iron Lady".How I wish that this film had reached the scope of "Gandhi" or the emotional depth of "The Queen." The Mrs. and I agreed that it is likely that both Ms. Streep and Dame Thatcher herself are not pleased with the result. We know we weren't - and it isn't OUR movie.
By
Nicholas R.W. Henning (Sydney, Australia)
"The Iron Lady" is a biographical drama film of the life of Baroness Margaret Thatcher. The narrative focuses on an aging Thatcher with fading health, reflectively looking back on her life and career. It was ambitious of the film directors to try and incorporate so many facets of Thatcher's life into a single feature film. This is because several aspects of her life are significant enough to be separate films. For example her rise within the Conservative Party as a female politician or the Falklands War both contain enough depth to be separate films. Notwithstanding th is the viewer is presented with numerous major events in Thatcher's life such as: her admittance to Oxford University as the daughter of a green grocer, her progression as a Conservative Member of Parliament, tenure as Leader of the Opposition, and eleven years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The quality of acting is engaging and this film honourably acknowledges Thatcher's breakthrough political career. Nicholas R.W. Henning - Australian Author Author of: Boomerang Baseball, The American Dream: From Perth to Sacramento, The Tourist, and Brennan Cooper
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