The Iron Lady

This is a confusing one!!!
Many, like myself will go into this movie with a damning opinion of Margaret Thatcher. Hardly surprising, considering her well documented infamous political career.
However, from as early as the opening scene my opinion changed in seconds.
This is not largely, but totally down to the captivating Meryl Streep.

'The Iron Lady' as Thatcher was dubbed by the Russians plays in real time at a stage in Thatcher's life where she is battling dementia and practically living as a prisoner in her own home, with round the clock help her domestic life resembles that of a private care patient.
She refuses to let up the ghost of her deceased husband Denis and reminisces with him on past glories which leads to her ailing memory being unable to decipher the past from the present.

From an early age and with influence from her politically active working class father, Thatcher was head strong and decided she would go to University and change her world.
She met and fell in love with Denis and when he proposed marriage she laid down the law stating that she would marry him but would not be a stay at home mum washing dishes.
Thatcher wanted to shake things up in the political world that was totally male dominated.
She kept to her word!

The film takes us though all the major political decisions and incidents Thatcher was involved in - her harsh 1981 budget which created mass unemployment, the Brixton riots, the minors strike, the Brighton hotel bombing to the economic boom of the late 80's.

Her biggest and possibly most daring decision was at a time of massive recession in 1982, she defied all financial strains and instructed an all out military assault after Argentinian forces invaded the British owned Falkland Islands.
Thatcher's government was bolstered by the successful outcome and her public image went from zero to hero.

It was the introduction of poll tax that really was her downfall both among the public, and to her detriment - her cabinet members. They seen it as the final stray.

Not being a huge political know it all and being Irish, I couldn't feel the dismay and disappointment that most of the UK reviewers and public have expressed about Thatcher's portrayal in this film.
Yes, it skims over areas where her tyrannical hand and prowess destroyed the working class - IE., the miner's strike, but I think the best of filmmakers would have struggled to make a balanced movie to please the masses about such an important, unique and ground breaking figurehead.

As interesting as the movie is (and it is!), it's all about Streep's performance. From the pitiful Thatcher fighting dementia to the feisty confident Thatcher as a world leader.
There are many supporting roles but none worth mentioning as she blows everyone away.
The woman is an acting genius and the other 4 nominees should just stay at home come Oscar night!


Score: 8/10