The Iron Lady (2011)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Alexander D

  
  When I hear the word âladyâÂ?, the image of Kate Winsletâ(TM)s character in TITANIC comes to mind. You know, someone who is overall quite respectful, but also feels she deserves a high level of respect. Put the word âironâÂ? in front of it, and my definition is undermined. The… More
  When I hear the word âladyâ�, the image of Kate Winsletâ(TM)s character in TITANIC comes to mind. You know, someone who is overall quite respectful, but also feels she deserves a high level of respect. Put the word âironâ� in front of it, and my definition is undermined. The title made me curious about what the film would be like. Allow me to say that by some standards, Margaret Thatcher (or at least the way Meryl Streep portrayed her) was a lady, but she only meets half of the forenamed definition. In other words, she appears a niggardly woman who desires nothing but respect, whilst giving no respect to her people. Meryl is what makes this seriously underwhelming picture watchable. With the strong resemblance she bears to Thatcher, combined with the flawless performance and 100% transformation into her character, itâ(TM)s possible that one of her great, attention-demanding speeches here could pass for archive footage of the real Margaret Thatcher. Had this film excluded Meryl, or used anyone but her, it would have failed miserably. I canâ(TM)t argue with the fashion here, because it is based on history, but I can argue with the fashion in which it was presented. We just donâ(TM)t get enough time seeing Thatcher as Prime Minister of Great Britain. So much time is spent on her old age and her state of dementia that the end seems sudden, even after an hour and forty-five minutes. Furthermore, the presentation of her dementia was a misfire. The intent was most likely to be effective, but instead these scenes went overboard. Often times, I thought I was watching a psychological horror movie, due to the odd lighting, subtle music, and audio editing. Itâ(TM)s a figure of speech when people say an actor or actress âcarried the movieâ�, but here this is taken to a whole new level. In fact, I couldnâ(TM)t spot anything here other than Meryl that could make this film so engaging, beyond all the noticeable flaws. READ MORE: http://themoviefreakblog.com/review-the-iron-lady

• Mark H

  
  The Iron Lady is flawed. There's a very good film contained within, but I suspect some of it is on the cutting room floor. Margaret Thatcher's political pursuits are where this shines. Some judicious editing could have taken this to the next level. I'm reminded of… More
  The Iron Lady is flawed. There's a very good film contained within, but I suspect some of it is on the cutting room floor. Margaret Thatcher's political pursuits are where this shines. Some judicious editing could have taken this to the next level. I'm reminded of another Meryl Streep vehicle. Julie & Julia was a good movie - whenever the chronicle focused on Julia Child, that is. So too is The Iron Lady a superior production whenever Margaret Thatcher is the tenacious leader of Great Britain. The agreeable matriarch of the present simply diminishes dramatic tension whenever things starts to escalate. Perhaps that's the contradictory perspective director Phyllida Lloyd wanted to relate, but Thatcher's energizing display as an obstinate firebrand of the past is so much more engaging. Meryl Streep deserves a lot of recognition for her singular performance, the story - not so much.

• Jeff "

  
  The Iron Lady is a terrific portrait of female British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Though not a perfect portrait of Thatcher, this film has a stunning performance by Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher. Brilliantly acted and directed. Although the film could have focused a lot… More
  The Iron Lady is a terrific portrait of female British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Though not a perfect portrait of Thatcher, this film has a stunning performance by Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher. Brilliantly acted and directed. Although the film could have focused a lot more on Thatcher's life, the run time of this film is pretty short. I thought that Streep's performance made this film great. The film although not perfect, got some key moments in Thatcher's rule down pretty well. Her portrayal of a historical figure equals that of Colin Firth's portrayal of King George Vi in The King's Speech. I thought that Meryl Streep's performance made this film more interesting, and worth seeing. The Iron Lady is flawed, but with a great cast, it makes for a great film to watch. The film does a great job at telling the story of the first and only female British Prime Minister. I very much enjoyed this film, and thought it was a great portrayal of Thatcher. The films story was good, but needed a little work to make it stand out. For the most part, I didn't mind this because the film was interesting enough due to Meryl Streep's performance that I was able to overlook its faults. I just felt there could have been a little more detail in the film due to the fact that Margaret Thatcher is an important figure. Brilliantly acted and directed, The Iron Lady is a must see film that despite its imperfections has one of the most memorable performances that I've seen in quite some time.

• Anatoliy D

  
  want to see it

• Drew S

  
  Mostly tedious biopic slog livened by a few discordant, odd formal elements. The dementia framing livens it more than most in its genre, but leaves the movie feeling subjective and slight and without much of a stance of its own.

• Emily A

  
  I was really really disappointed by this movie. I thought it was going to be about the political career of the first female British PM and show her in all her hardnosed, hardline and conservative glory. What we actually get is a befuddled old English lady, a shell of her former self,… More
  I was really really disappointed by this movie. I thought it was going to be about the political career of the first female British PM and show her in all her hardnosed, hardline and conservative glory. What we actually get is a befuddled old English lady, a shell of her former self, who slips into the past as she loses her grip on her present reality. The movie dwells so long on the least interesting incarnation of the character that it leaves out everything I wanted to see. Meryl Streep made the best of what she was given and is always a pleasure to watch, but this incomplete character study seemed like a waste of her. They introduce a sunny and delightful character who isn't there, and fails to delve any deeper into any of Thatcher's relationships. You never get to see her bond with anyone. I think this movie would have benefitted greatly from a zoom out and a better sense of focus. I hate to say it, but this movie was every bit as boring as 12 year olds suspect it is, and as boring as I thought it couldn't be.

• Mike S

  
  Meryl Streep - what an actress! Her spellbinding turn as former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, is the one and true reason why you should see this film. Not that it doesn't have other virtues, but I don't think it would have been half as good as it is if it… More
  Meryl Streep - what an actress! Her spellbinding turn as former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, is the one and true reason why you should see this film. Not that it doesn't have other virtues, but I don't think it would have been half as good as it is if it wasn't for her. I was rather impressed by Alexandra Roach as well, who both looked and sounded the part as Thatcher in her younger years. Now, to be perfectly frank, I don't have much interest in politics (I've actually gone and confused Thatcher with Madeleine Albright up until now, which should tell you something to that fact), but this was quite a captivating portrait of one of Great Britain's most controversial and famous political figures. There is an unnecessary amount of time spent on trivia and the mental hallucinations of our leading lady, but I was still fully absorbed by it and enjoyed it all the way. I was actually surprised to see so many mediocre ratings, for although a little off in places, I thought it to be a well-conceived biopic. As mentioned, however, most of that is owed to Streep, who is undeniably strong as iron in her pitch-perfect performance. If she doesn't get the Oscar for Best Actress, something is seriously unfair. Because this, if anything, has earned her the right to bring home that golden statue. A bravura display of the highest order, by one of the world's most gifted stars. You might not agree with Thatcher's politics, but I can pledge you will agree on this being a worthwhile watch.

• Carlos M

  
  Apart from Streep's spectacular performance, nothing else works in this terrible biopic, which is so badly written and directed. A disjointed mess that makes use of illogical narrative elements (the whole schizophrenia thing is unbelievable) and tries to soften the image of the… More
  Apart from Streep's spectacular performance, nothing else works in this terrible biopic, which is so badly written and directed. A disjointed mess that makes use of illogical narrative elements (the whole schizophrenia thing is unbelievable) and tries to soften the image of the character in a completely artificial way.

• Raymond W

  
  Meryl Streep is absolutely incredible as Margaret Thatcher, having mastered the accent, quirks, and style perfectly, but on the other hand, the film itself is not a complete triumph. Phyllida Lloyd has chosen to structure this film similarly to La Vie en Rose where the story is told… More
  Meryl Streep is absolutely incredible as Margaret Thatcher, having mastered the accent, quirks, and style perfectly, but on the other hand, the film itself is not a complete triumph. Phyllida Lloyd has chosen to structure this film similarly to La Vie en Rose where the story is told as flashbacks. In La Vie en Rose, this method is effective and moving, but here it just serves as a checklist of the most important events in Thatcher's career which becomes muddled and confusing. After a slow and somewhat boring first half, the film picks up the pace and gets deeper into the story allowing the audience to become involved and care about the characters. What doesn't help that process though, is the fact that the film doesn't really know what it wants to say about Thatcher, who was such a controversial political figure; loved by some, despised by others. I can understand the fear of trying to portray one view of Thatcher and not the other, but at least say something. I came away feeling like she was somewhat of a hypocrite and failed to do what she so strongly strived for in life. Maybe it was supposed to be that way as a depiction of her struggle against dementia, which was accurate if you ask me. Dementia is a horrible thing; worse I think than cancer, but Thatcher never lost her political side which provided some mild comic relief. Abi Morgan's screenplay was fairly well written, but it could definitely have been better as there were moments when I thought "How staged is that?", or "That was awkward...". The Iron Lady is worth the price of admission to see the impeccable Meryl Streep, but the film just gets bogged down and muddled trying to get all the big and important events fit into the film, and if the career of Maggie was presented in a different format, I feel the audience may have connected to Thatcher more and it would have been much more moving at the end. The Iron Lady she was.

• Everett J

  
  "Iron Lady is a movie starring Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher. The first and only female prime minister of England. I expected a film about her as the minister, but it's more than that. It's a movie about Thatcher in her later years, living a lonely life, often… More
  "Iron Lady is a movie starring Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher. The first and only female prime minister of England. I expected a film about her as the minister, but it's more than that. It's a movie about Thatcher in her later years, living a lonely life, often hallucinating with visions of her dead husband. While reflecting on her life and career in politics. She's ultra conservative, which I'm considered a liberal by some, so I didn't quite care of her political views, but it never goes too overboard into her politics. Streep is amazing, and often times you forget your watching Streep. But, Streep is the only good thing about the movie as a whole. It's slow, the story is jumbled, and other than Streep the performances aren't really that great. Watch for Streep, but keep your expectations low. Unless, your into slow British quasi political movies, then it's right up your alley.

• Pedro H

  
  <i>Never Compromise</i> <b>Pointless</b>. Honestly this movie has nothing to offer, it doesn't even manage to entertain or educate the viewer. You leave the theaters with nothing to take it, so I suggest you skip this one. Meryl Streep plays Margaret… More
  <i>Never Compromise</i> <b>Pointless</b>. Honestly this movie has nothing to offer, it doesn't even manage to entertain or educate the viewer. You leave the theaters with nothing to take it, so I suggest you skip this one. Meryl Streep plays Margaret Thatcher, one most influential women of the 20th century. Meryl Streep does an good job, as always in her acting skills. But the movie itself lacks all aspects of cinema. Phyllida Lloyd makes a <b>mess </b>, by trying to split the story in two: Margaret's career, and social life, in the end of the day, you would have wished you never seen this movie, it will literally put you to sleep. <u>Margaret Thatcher:</u> <i>"We will stand on principle, or we will not stand at all."</i>

• Greg S

  
  Caught in what appears to be the early stages of dementia, Margaret Thatcher (Meryl Streep) remembers her rise and fall from power as Britain's first female Prime Minister. Streep's performance, especially as the vulnerable older woman, is the reason to watch. Otherwise,… More
  Caught in what appears to be the early stages of dementia, Margaret Thatcher (Meryl Streep) remembers her rise and fall from power as Britain's first female Prime Minister. Streep's performance, especially as the vulnerable older woman, is the reason to watch. Otherwise, the film is like looking at old press clippings: fun if you're a Thatcher fan or professional detractor but of only passing interest otherwise.

• Tony G

  
  There's a moment in "Iron Lady" where Margaret Thatcher now in her later years and battling mental degeneration is staring at herself in the mirror listening to the voice of her deceased husband in the background. The look of confusion and attempts to snap back into… More
  There's a moment in "Iron Lady" where Margaret Thatcher now in her later years and battling mental degeneration is staring at herself in the mirror listening to the voice of her deceased husband in the background. The look of confusion and attempts to snap back into clarity are brilliant; the acting is superb and the depiction of the worst part of aging is gripping. Unfortunately that is not the movie "Iron Lady" promises to be. The opportunity to tell the story of one of the most fascinating and powerful female politicians ever is missed and that is regrettable. But despite the miss, "Iron Lady" is worth watch to witness a master class performance by one of the best actresses ever: Meryl Streep. Streep's every move, speech, look captures Margaret Thatcher perfectly. Similar to her transformation into Julia Child, Streep doesn't impersonate, she embodies. She elevates the material and gives the audience a masterful performance that should snap her an elusive 3rd Oscar. As for the rest of the film, "Iron Lady" has its moments. Phillipa Lloyd seems more interested in telling the story of Thatcher in her later years so the film becomes less about her rise to the most powerful position in Britain and more of a personal drama about old age. That story is done well ... but I wonder how powerful it would have been to see Streep dig deeper into political and governmental machinations vs watching her as an old lady packing her dead husband's belongings. So go see "Iron Lady" for Streep. She's worth the price of admission alone. Just don't expect to know more about Thatcher than you can already find on Wikipedia.

• Nadira I

  
  Sad to say that it is an unsatisfying film. It is worth watching if you're looking for just great acting rather than great story. It is undeniable that Meryl Streep is an outstanding actress that will potray Margaret Thatcher well and the film is looking into gender fairly, but… More
  Sad to say that it is an unsatisfying film. It is worth watching if you're looking for just great acting rather than great story. It is undeniable that Meryl Streep is an outstanding actress that will potray Margaret Thatcher well and the film is looking into gender fairly, but being 'politically neutral' surely hurt this film into the root. This film is humanising Thatcher, but also showing why people doesn't like her and perceived her government as an unsuccessful one. Plus, going into why she's taking capitalism as a choice and her take on policies at the time. All seems very contradictory. Story-wise it feels dull and I didn't find it very engaging, even if we're only looking for her character without her politics. It is strange to see that, until the very end of the film, she didn't even told her doctor that she's having hallucinations and ended up battling it herself until the end. Maybe this is linked with how feminist and strong she is, but still it didn't make this film's ending meaningful in any way. Phyllida Lloyd, good job in getting Meryl as a cast. But do consider better script writing next time.

• Tracy K

  
  I was fully aware that I was being manipulated while watching The Iron Lady. There's no real attempt to provide a concrete, hard-hitting political biography here; the film suffers from the same problems that plagued J. Edgar: too much material crammed into too small a box,… More
  I was fully aware that I was being manipulated while watching The Iron Lady. There's no real attempt to provide a concrete, hard-hitting political biography here; the film suffers from the same problems that plagued J. Edgar: too much material crammed into too small a box, resulting in a scattered Greatest Hits-type approach to Thatcher's life and career, one that seems to be pushing us to root for her as a heroine, carefully avoiding too much time focused on the uglier bits. And yet...this film is much more watchable than J. Edgar, not (but in no small part) just due to Meryl Streep's hypnotic performance. I thought the structure - an addled, elderly Thatcher reflects on her life through a series of hallucinatory conversations with her dead husband - while somewhat overly sentimental at times, actually worked for the most part. We may not get "the" Margaret Thatcher, but we get "a" Margaret Thatcher - a Thatcher who is dreadfully human, and this is pretty much all we can say about anyone in the end. It makes the film's title perhaps more ironic than anything else.

• Josh M

  
  Despite Streep's richly deserved accolades, this film was a huge disappointment. Its focus (50% of screen time) is Margaret Thatcher's current dementia and decline, and only superficially about her remarkable life and polticial journey, told in quick flashbacks, very well… More
  Despite Streep's richly deserved accolades, this film was a huge disappointment. Its focus (50% of screen time) is Margaret Thatcher's current dementia and decline, and only superficially about her remarkable life and polticial journey, told in quick flashbacks, very well done, but frustratingly brief. Mostly, Maggie's at home losing her marbles and talking to her long dead husband Dennis (Jim Broadbent, excellent as always) and we see quick flashbacks about her youth, rise to power, struggles with the opposition and her own party. The best segment, a scene where she bullies and humiliates her cabinet just before her ouster was a rarity, because the other 'greatest hits,( i.e. election, Falklands war, miner's strike, etc.) are so quick and superficial, giving us little insight into the overall long life and acheivements of this woman. There's a flashback scene where husband Dennis berates Maggie for abandoning him and the chidren in favour of her political ambitions. Okay, but there's no scene illustrating this important point so we just have to take his word for it. Not good enough. Alzheimer's is a worthy topic for a drama, and has been dealt with poignantly and memorably in movies like Iris (also with Jim Broadbent - and Judi Dench) and Away From Her. This film is not in that league. Screenwriter Abi Morgan failed to make me care as much about Maggie's struggle with dementia as much as her amazing and eventful public life. Streep was spectacular thoughout, however, and may deserve Best Actress. The dementia scenes feel long and dull, mostly beacause Maggie's by herself or talking to her phantom Dennis. But Meryl's far better than the movie (and script) she's in. Director Phyllida Llloyd made me invest and care far more about the characters in her masterpiece, Mamma Mia than in this misguided flop. That's just wrong.

• Alice S

  
  I thought this would be a basic biopic, but it's actually a rather intimate look at an aging, dementia-riddled woman. I don't know if the schizophrenic hallucinations of Denis, Thatcher's late husband, or the Ayn Randian crazed-devotion-to-the-point-of-alienation are… More
  I thought this would be a basic biopic, but it's actually a rather intimate look at an aging, dementia-riddled woman. I don't know if the schizophrenic hallucinations of Denis, Thatcher's late husband, or the Ayn Randian crazed-devotion-to-the-point-of-alienation are accurate, but they make for some good sound and fury. I'm not really a fan of Meryl Streep or a scholar of Margaret "Lady Balls" Thatcher, but the former does play the latter to amazing effect, embodying the balance of bouncy and dainty, shrill and stalwart, that Thatcher must have exuded to be such a magnetic, albeit controversial leader. Streep is impressive in the aged scenes as well, with her stooped posture, befuddled squint, and hoarse muttering.

• danny d

  
  aside from the acting, this was an incredibly unsatisfying film. lloyd had decisions to make on what story to tell, and i believe she made all of the wrong ones. while i wanted more of the career, we are saturated with an intimate portrait of the least significant part of thatchers… More
  aside from the acting, this was an incredibly unsatisfying film. lloyd had decisions to make on what story to tell, and i believe she made all of the wrong ones. while i wanted more of the career, we are saturated with an intimate portrait of the least significant part of thatchers life. streep was amazing as usual, but the film, like j. edgar from this year, missed a great chance to tell a great story about a very interesting person.

• Candy R

  
  It does sympathise with Margaret Thatcher. Highlights areas of her time in power through news reports and scenes where she has had to make important decisions. Excellent cast. Meryl deserves an Oscar!

• Cory T

  
  For those who aren't familiar with Margaret Thatcher, the uninitiated would gather from the muddled mess of a biopic that is 'The Iron Lady' that was just a female counterpart to Josh Nash's schizophrenic delusions. The makeup of an elderly, decrepit Thatcher is… More
  For those who aren't familiar with Margaret Thatcher, the uninitiated would gather from the muddled mess of a biopic that is 'The Iron Lady' that was just a female counterpart to Josh Nash's schizophrenic delusions. The makeup of an elderly, decrepit Thatcher is beyond extraordinary, but the movie sputters too long on the late-period dementia with Thatcher reminiscing with her deceased husband and occasionally flashing back to the Cliff Notes of her impregnable political career. When Dennis, Thatcher's neglected, posthumous husband finally departs, it's oddly supernatural in nature and reduces her mental illness to a fleeting problem. Phyllida briefly recognizes the IRA attacks in the UK and the union strikes, but she never delves into anything esoteric or illuminating about Thatcher's stubborn refusal to be a sounding board for her parliamentary staff. After Thatcher's stint in the Dartford association, there is an astronomical time lapse until her nomination as Prime Minister. The film is anticlimactic and impetuous about dotting the trajectory of Thatcher's lifespan without highlighting her motives.

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