The Iron Lady [Icon]
Director: Phyllida Lloyd
Starring: Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent.
Reviewed by Ben Carey.
[rating:3.5/5]
First things first: this is not a feminine twist on Iron Man or anything remotely comic-related. It is an account of the turbulent life of Margaret Thatcher; Brittan’s most controversial and influential Prime Minister. I’ve always found it hard to wrap my head around politics, so for the most part, I have avoided them any chance I get. I know three things about politics: one, the word Labour; two, the term Prime Minister; and three, that Julia Gillard looks like a pigeon when she talks. So needless to say, most things political fly right over my head (like a pigeon). However, I do appreciate a movie which can relay politics to me in a way I can understand. I am very fond of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.
The Iron Lady opens with an elderly Thatcher (Streep) purchasing a pint of milk from a foreign-run convenience store. It has been decades since she was in power and the world has changed drastically. Upon arrival home, she is reprimanded by her daughter for leaving the house alone. Thatcher is not dealing well with being constantly confined in her own home. She is not dealing well with old age. She spends most of her days reminiscing about the past or conversing with her dead husband, Denis (Broadbent).
During her reminiscence we follow her as a young, determined lady running for parliament and making her way up through the ranks. We witness the way she dispatches all of the discrimination she encounters from her male counterparts and all of the obstacles she has to overcome and tough choices she has to make along the way to, and after, becoming the first ever female Prime Minister of Great Britain.
From all the things I’ve seen and heard about Margaret Thatcher, The Iron Lady seems like a very faithful depiction of this woman’s incredible life.
In a way I think it is a very romanticised view of the woman, focusing predominantly on her as a person and the obstacles she overcame, rather than her actual policy decisions and the ramifications of those. Don’t get me wrong, they do come into it, but maybe not as much as they could.
Streep’s portrayal of Thatcher is absolutely wonderful: the accent, the walk, the mannerisms. I can see her adding to her collection of Oscar nominations with this one. Also, the makeup department did a fantastic job of aging her; I could barely recognise her at first. Broadbent is also great as her husband Denis, who constantly questions her decisions and challenges her as much as he can.
The Iron Lady may be a little slow for some, but for those who are interested in seeing an intimate portrayal of Thatcher’s life, you won’t be disappointed and Streep’s performance is grand enough to overcome any pacing issues the film might have.
ENDS