One icon playing another icon. One is beloved by her peers and her public; the other was beloved by her peers and her public (and despised by everyone else). Can she (they) pull it off? If anyone can pull off portraying one of the most controversial yet trailblazing figures in Western politics, it is Merryl Streep. Sadly, her stunning performance could not turn this film into the vehicle which deserves her top billing. This film shows that one stellar performance cannot make a mediocre film into a great film. Iron Lady imagines Margaret Thatcher today as a geriatric suffering from dementia, the anti-Iron Lady. It is reported that the real Thatcher does suffer from dementia, so the premise of our movie “could” be true. If you have no knowledge of the Thatcher regime or the events that highlighted her tenure (the Troubles in Northern Ireland, the crippling economy, the breaking of the labor unions and the privatization of many industries, the Falkland Wars, and the Cold War), you may have a hard time following this film. The screenwriter provides very little direction or guidance in order to navigate the timeline. (I admit I had no problem following because I am the child of this era, and I remember when Thatcher came to power, her ascension, her domination and her ultimate collapse). However, this film reminds us that a really good film has many critical parts that must be present in order to make it great; and this film failed in delivering those critical elements. And herein lies the challenge for the Oscars - should Streep’s amazing performance in a poorly executed film trump the excellent performance by Viola Davis in the fantastic offering that is The Help?
Rating: B-
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