The Iron Lady
2011
**
Director: Phyllida Lloyd
Cast: Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Alexandra Roach, Harry Lloyd, Iain Glen, Olivia Colman, Anthony Head, Nicholas Farrell, Richard E. Grant
Margaret Thatcher, arguably the most powerful woman of the 20th century and the longest serving British Prime Minister, divides opinions to this day. Her supporters argue that she forced through the necessary economic reforms and re-established Britain as a major power. Her detractors, on the other hand, blame her for destroying the British working class. This biopic of sorts is a massive wasted opportunity and worth seeing mainly for Meryl Streep's incredibly nuanced, Oscar-winning performance. Abi Morgan's screenplay ignores all the contradiction and controversy surrounding the Iron Lady, and portrays her as a feminist icon who succeeded in a male-dominated world through her sheer determination. The film frames the highs and lows of her political career with present-day segments, which depict Thatcher as a senile old woman who converses with her dead husband. These tedious scenes consume almost half of the running time. Phyllida Lloyd's second film is a major improvement on the amateurish Mamma Mia!, though. This one actually resembles cinema.
