That's my favorite line from the no-nonsense political powerhouse, Margaret Thatcher; in a flick that is best described as J. Edgar with an estrogen injection. The Iron Lady represents another solid tale of a fascinatingly influential historical figure told in a series of reminiscing flashbacks. We pick up with former Prime Minister Thatcher (Meryl Streep), who is well past Golden Girl status. At times, she's sharp as the ole tack, at others, well...not so much. In those times, Mags is pretty much lost in her own little world, which includes full-blown dialogues with her deceased husband, Denis (Jim Broadbent). Not that that makes one crazy, mind you--of course, I have names for my pillows, so I probably shouldn't talk, but I digress. At any rate, Margaret begins this reflective tale which begins with her teen years as a grocer's daughter, continues through her rise to the highest political office in Great Britain and closes with her begrudging departure from office. Yadayadayada we experience the good, the bad and belligerent of one of the most notable characters in history.
It's good. I'll go with 4.0 Stars. First, Streep, who is actually my secret mom (don't tell her), was absolutely amazing. We're talking Oscar stuff for sure. Make no mistake, this has been a year that has seen the nominee ballot box stuffed full. Obviously, we see the same age progression that was at times distracting in J. Edgar due to atrocious make-up. This crew did a far more effective job of bringing Thatcher to life through the decades. What make-up didn't manage on that front, Streep more than made up for with her own brilliance. Just in the last three years, we've seen a range that spans from comedic (It's Complicated) to yet another historical juggernaut in Julia Childs; and mom nails them all. Admittedly, my experience with Prime Minister Thatcher is limited to history classes, old news reels and YouTube footage. With that said, Streep captured Thatcher's unwavering strength and no-nonsense approach to public service that made her the Iron Lady.
It's a story told through a series of flashback vignettes that are truly human. These tales reveal an individual's struggle with the social factions in play during a time when politics was a male-only vocation. We get to experience the resulting price that such a career had on her family life; and the spectrum of the ups and downs of married life and more.
My only real complaint with The Iron Lady is that too much time was spent developing the aging decline of Mrs. Thatcher. I wanted to see more time spent on her prime--making those critical decisions that helped bring Great Britain out of economic woes, war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands, etc. Those things were certainly developed, but not as extensively. We got to see her at her weakest, far more than at her strongest.
All in all, The Iron Lady is one to see and go BIG with this one. Solid performances abound in a socio-this political historical piece about one common-sense ladened leader.
True...OUT!
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