Margaret Thatcher served as the first woman Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to her resignation in 1990. The trailer presents the story as Thatcher’s triumph in male-dominated political landscape, but in actuality, The Iron Lady, provides a view into her world as a person who put the needs of her country in front of anything else in her life.
Directed by Phyllida Lloyd (Mamma Mia), the film presents the life of Thatcher with honesty and without prejudice. The film could have easily made gender the prevalent issue, but instead puts that aside as well as her politics and focuses on how her relationships suffered.
With just a small change to her physical appearance, Meryl Streep (Julie & Julia, Doubt, Mamma Mia) once again transforms into her character with ease. Since the film spans several decades, her mannerisms needed to adjust based on age and it was clear, yet subtle, in each scene. Jim Broadbent (The Damned United, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows), as Denis, Margaret’s husband, provides the perfect blend of humor and support that the character required. The other supporting characters of the film were not given much development other than their like or dislike of Thatcher, thus making them very dull.
Thatcher’s wardrobe gives color to the dull landscape of government. Her clothes alone make her stand out in a room full of men in black suits and this visual carried throughout as a reminder of her isolation. Most of the close ups are of the “present” and when flashing back, she is mostly shown from further back, mimicking how she rarely let anyone close.
The core of the film is its depiction of Thatcher as just a old woman flashing back to memories of her life as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and how it effected her relationships. Her isolation is the most prevalent theme, showing how being a leader can cause many problems in one’s personal life. What I enjoyed most about the film was that even though it does address her gender, it is never presented as being a major issue. Rather, it depicts Thatcher as simply a person who refuses to be ignored.
Screenwriter, Abi Morgan (Shame), blends the story focusing on Thatcher’s relationships with those closest to her. She flashes back to her time in office clearly from her own viewpoint while also giving glimpses of others’ opinions of the situations. The film presents moments of history without romanticizing her politics, instead attempting to provide insight. The fault lies in that the film is simply a memoir and really nothing else. There isn’t a story being told, it’s simply a group of flashbacks.
This movie is obvious Oscar bait (especially being released on December 30th, only playing two days in theaters in 2011 to qualify) and will most certainly get plenty of attention. It will not be the uplifting film like last year’s The King’s Speech, so it will not have the same long run, but will most likely perform moderately. It can also be difficult to win over an audience with the policies of Margaret Thatcher still fresh in a large percentage of the population. Meryl Streep commented on the reception of the film, at a online Q&A saying “It’s imagining Margaret Thatcher as a human being. Which is very hard for some people.”
Rating: Interesting insight into the isolation of a world leader, but not thought provoking (4/10)
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