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Streep Wows as Iron Lady

Helps redeem otherwise mediocre film

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Dec 30, 2011 12:50 PM CST

(Newser) – As a biopic, The Iron Lady is nothing to write home about—but critics are blown away by Meryl Streep's typically excellent performance as Margaret Thatcher:

  • The film contains "little sense of the outside world, the human cost, or the ripple effect of divisive government policies. It is a movie that gives us Thatcher without Thatcherism," writes Xan Brooks in the Guardian. But Streep "is the one great weapon of this often silly and suspect picture." She offers "a masterpiece of mimicry."

  • In the New York Times, AO Scott calls the movie "a credible enough portrait." But "Streep provides, once again, a technically flawless impersonation that also seems to reveal the inner essence of a well-known person."
  • There's "more softness than steel" here, writes Betsy Sharkey in the Los Angeles Times. "Rather than an examination, or an assessment, of her politics, it instead offers up an affecting if not always satisfying portrait of the strong-willed leader humbled by age."
  • Dana Stevens is less forgiving at Slate. "The Iron Lady is, to put it kindly, a shambles," she writes. "If it weren’t for Streep," the film "would be unwatchable. But then, Streep could make a morning spent in line at the DMV feel like spellbinding drama."

In this film image provided by The Weinstein Company, Meryl Streep portrays Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady.
In this film image provided by The Weinstein Company, Meryl Streep portrays Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady."   (AP Photo/The Weinstein Company, Alex Bailey)
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A trailer for the film.   (YouTube)

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 7 comments
Dave99
Dec 31, 2011 9:20 AM CST
God she was hated. Even by her kids. She's another one of those family values conservatives like Raygun who completely screwed up their family. ______________________________________________________________ clip - During her premiership Thatcher had the second-lowest average approval rating, at 40 percent, of any post-war Prime Minister. Polls consistently showed that she was less popular than her party  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Thatcher#Resignation  Thatcher's Kids Ignore Her At Christmas AGAIN http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2080536/The-Iron-Lady-Margaret-Thatcher-ignored-children-Christmas.html
HMunster
Dec 31, 2011 8:50 AM CST
Meryl Streep is such an outstanding actress. I can't wait to see her performance.
JamaicaJim
Dec 31, 2011 4:56 AM CST
"It is a movie that gives us Thatcher without Thatcherism,"" ...then why make the movie in the first place? How's this: It is a movie that gives us Obama without Obamaism," make any sense? Another: It is a movie that gives us Bush without Bushism," I'll wait for cable....maybe.

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