Movie Review -- The Iron Lady

As an admirer of Margaret Thatcher, I had been looking forward to the movie since I first heard about it months ago. After just seeing it, I feel very let down. You would think a movie about Thatcher would almost write itself and it would be hard to screw it up, especially with Meryl Streep playing the lead. However, screw it up the makers did, and how.

My main complaint was at least half the movie focused on Thatcher in the present day, hallucinating about her dead husband. Who needs to see an hour of that, especially when there is a so much material to cover in an amazing life? Thatcher knew she was hallucinating, and the thrust of the movie was her inner conflict to go along with it or fight against it. Meanwhile, scenes from her younger days were told in flashbacks and montages.

Another complaint is it was done in the self-important Oliver Stone style of movie making. Too many cuts, sharp camera angles, and simply overly creative. Just give me a plain and simple movie that tells a story like The Queen or the The King's Speech and I'll be very happy, thank you.

Finally, I think Thatcher herself would be embarrassed if the story of her life focused on her dementia at the end of it. When Ronald Reagan was suffering from Alzheimer's disease Nancy correctly kept him out of the public eye, because he wouldn't have wanted to be remembered in that way.

What you see in The Iron Lady is not the real Thatcher. If the topic of dementia interests you, go to any advanced-stage nursing home and you'll see plenty of it live. I used to volunteer for Pets on Wheels, so I have some first hand experience. If the topic of Thatcher interests you, you're not going to get much out of this movie. I do have to say that Streep can not be faulted for this mess. In fact, I think she looked and sounded like Thatcher amazingly well, without overdoing it.

A big thumbs down from me. On the 0 to 10 scale I give The Iron Lady a 3.

Quote: Wizard

As an admirer of Margaret Thatcher, I had been looking forward to the movie since I first heard about it months ago.

The Iron Lady and Margaret Thatcher's dementia: Why this despicable film makes voyeurs of us all is written by a doctor who treats dementia patients. He is not an admirer of Margaret Thatcher, but he despised the film for many of the same reasons.

The fact that the film was made while she is still alive compounded his distaste.

Quote: pacomartin

The fact that the film was made while she is still alive compounded his distaste.

I think any decent person would have to agree with that

Quote: odiousgambit

I think any decent person would have to agree with that

Out of her 50 movies in a more than three decade career, her recent films are getting some of their lowest critical ratings since she first went into comedy in the early 1990's. To be fair, the criticism of this film is mostly not aimed at Meryl Streep's acting, but the writing and directing.

Of course, Mama Mia, her most financially successful film of her career, got many bad reviews.

1979	98%	Manhattan
1991	96%	Defending Your Life
2009	93%	Fantastic Mr. Fox
1988	92%	Evil Angels (A Cry in the Dark)
2002	91%	Adaptation
1978	91%	The Deer Hunter
1995	90%	The Bridges of Madison County
1990	90%	Postcards from the Edge
1998	89%	One True Thing
1979	88%	Kramer vs. Kramer
2006	85%	Hurricane on the Bayou
1996	81%	Marvin's Room
2004	81%	The Manchurian Candidate
1982	81%	Sophie's Choice
2006	81%	A Prairie Home Companion
2002	81%	The Hours
1981	80%	The French Lieutenant's Woman
2008	78%	Doubt
2006	76%	The Devil Wears Prada
2009	75%	Julie & Julia
1977	74%	Julia
2001	73%	A.I. Artificial Intelligence
2004	72%	Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
1985	71%	Plenty
1983	70%	Silkwood
2006	70%	Wrestling With Angels: Playwright Tony Kushner
1982	67%	Still of the Night
2008	67%	Theater of War
1987	65%	Ironweed
1986	64%	Heartburn
1985	63%	Out of Africa
2006	63%	The Ant Bully
1998	63%	Dancing at Lughnasa
1999	62%	Music of the Heart
2003	60%	Stuck On You
1984	60%	Falling in Love
2005	58%	Stolen Childhoods
2009	56%	It's Complicated
1994	54%	The River Wild
2011	54%	The Iron Lady
2008	53%	Mamma Mia!
1992	50%	Death Becomes Her
2005	50%	Prime
2007	46%	Rendition
1993	44%	The House of the Spirits
1989	41%	She-Devil
2007	39%	Dark Matter
1996	32%	Before and After
2007	27%	Evening
2007	26%	Lions for Lambs

My opinion of Meryl Streep in general is the same as Robert De Niro -- great actors who I wish were pickier about the movies they choose to do.

Quote: Wizard

My opinion of Meryl Streep in general is the same as Robert De Niro -- great actors who I wish were pickier about the movies they choose to do.

I think that there's a BIG difference between Streep and De Niro. Streep picks roles that she wants to do, and doesn't have nearly the list of duds that De Niro does. 17 Oscar nominations vs. 6 (De Niro's total) is a good indication. I don't take a LOT of stock in nominations, as most are skewed and unfair, but a 3:1 disparity is significant enough to me.

Quote: Tiltpoul

I think that there's a BIG difference between Streep and De Niro. Streep picks roles that she wants to do, and doesn't have nearly the list of duds that De Niro does. 17 Oscar nominations vs. 6 (De Niro's total) is a good indication. I don't take a LOT of stock in nominations, as most are skewed and unfair, but a 3:1 disparity is significant enough to me.

Fair point. Maybe I was too harsh on Meryl.

Quote: Wizard

My opinion of Meryl Streep in general is the same as Robert De Niro -- great actors who I wish were pickier about the movies they choose to do.

The wider question is why do so many great talents end up making bad movies? I saw De Niro get an award once, and his speech was interesting. He wished people in the audience would see some of his performances that he was most proud of, but the movie was a flop. I assume he wasn't talking about the Focker movies, which seemed to be all about making him a mountain of money for retirement.

Quote: Tiltpoul

I think that there's a BIG difference between Streep and De Niro. Streep picks roles that she wants to do, and doesn't have nearly the list of duds that De Niro does. 17 Oscar nominations vs. 6 (De Niro's total) is a good indication. I don't take a LOT of stock in nominations, as most are skewed and unfair, but a 3:1 disparity is significant enough to me.

I think you're right, but I also think that the general perception of the two is that they are equal. This may be gender bias, it may be because of the searing power of De Niro's best performances; I don't know. But I think both points are correct, that Streep has had a more productive career, and that they are perceived as equals.

Quote: pacomartin

The wider question is why do so many great talents end up making bad movies? I saw De Niro get an award once, and his speech was interesting. He wished people in the audience would see some of his performances that he was most proud of, but the movie was a flop. I assume he wasn't talking about the Focker movies, which seemed to be all about making him a mountain of money for retirement.

I think I can forgive De Niro the Fockers movies. While they are not my favorite genre, I do enjoy them. And why shouldnt he have a big pile of cash for retirement? I think he has earned it. Even when the movie he is in is a flop, his performance is always first rate. FWIW I have no interest in the Iron Lady movie, but it hasnt gone down too well here from what I am hearing.

IMO the first Focker movie was deviously excellent, in the way the best WC Fields movies were; it is the comedy of frustration, but updated for today's audiences. De Niro was perfect in his role.