If there’s a sure thing in the Academy Awards competition, it’s Meryl Streep as Best Actress for “The Iron Lady,” a biographical tale of Margaret Thatcher, long-time conservative prime minister of England. Once again, Streep depicts a real person, as she did with Julia Child in “Julia and Julia,” and once again she simply nails the performance.
If only the movie was as good. . . .
The movie is all right, a well-made tale of Thatcher overcoming a childhood that saw her teased and bullied as the daughter of a butcher, definitely a lower-middle class position, but we see her as an older woman, fading into dementia, and not enough of her as a driving, powerful politician who ruled England with an iron hand. For example, considering her status as a girl, we don’t see good reasons for Thatcher’s staunch conservatism, her anti-union activism.
Ali Morgan’s screenplay is acceptable, but falls short. Phyllida Lloyd, who directed Streep in the wildly funny “Mamma Mia,” does solid work again, but when you think of Streep in two wildly different characterizations, her performance stands out that much more. The woman can adopt so many personas that it’s difficult to understand such talent. Just sitting back and enjoying it may be the best way to go.
As in all her roles, 13 of them earning Oscar nominations as Best Actress, Streep is the ultimately prepared performer. She probably is more like Thatcher than Thatcher was, her posture and speech amazing. Her look is good, too, but a lot of makeup helps. The voice, the poise, the walk are all Streep, delivered in magical style.
Jim Broadbent, a consummate actor himself, stands out as her husband, Denis, who put his own ambitions aside to be the ultimate mate and helper to a woman whose ambition would not be denied.
Alexandra Roach and Harry Lloyd portray the young couple and are strong, but as soon as Streep appears in the frame, it’s all over.
Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher. A good film, not a great one, but a great actress, delivering a great performance.
The Iron Lady opens today
— Joe