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THE IRON LADYMovie Reviews
Drama about Margaret Thatcher, the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Cast:Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Alexandra Roach, Harry LloydDirector:Phyllida LloydRelease Date:December 30, 2011DVD Release:April 10, 2012From:The Weinstein CompanyRating:PG-13Length:1 hr 45 min
The Iron Lady played to good not great reviews. • David Denby wrote in the New Yorker, "...an oddly unsettling compound of glorification and malice.... It's a tough, honest performance, yet Streep has lent herself to a project of revenge against the character she plays." • And Curt Holman wrote in Atlanta Creative Loafing, "Overall, proves too wishy-washy to voice an opinion on Thatcher." More Reviews Below...
The Iron Lady Positive Reviews (48 Reviews, reviews below)
Alynda Wheat, People: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...confused... wants us to sympathize with Thatcher, but never helps us understand her.... Still, you should see the performance that may well win Streep her third Oscar."(See all of Alynda Wheat's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 191 words, 01/05/12
Richard Corliss, Time: GOOD "...a clever and oddly touching entertainment.... Streep is our good guide through the life of a woman who knew how to achieve power but may never have known herself."(See all of Richard Corliss's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,152 words, 12/30/11
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: VERY GOOD(cg) "Streep is a pleasure to behold... the movie is dragged down by its strained dramatic structure, ungainly flashbacks, hedging apolitical stance, and specious analysis..."(See all of Lisa Schwarzbaum's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 329 words, 12/30/11
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: OUTSTANDING(cg) "The sharp economy of Phyllida Lloyd's direction allows Streep to take snatches of a life and build a woman in full. This is acting of the highest order."(See all of Peter Travers's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 194 words, 12/09/11
Claudia Puig, USA Today: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...an uneven film.... Thatcher's steely political persona and role as wife and mother is at the heart of the film, though how she reconciled the two is never fully explored."(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 505 words, 12/30/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: MODERATE(cg) "Streep creates an uncanny impersonation of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, but in this film she's all dressed up with nowhere to go."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 839 words, 01/13/12
Glenn Kenny, MSN Movies: WEAK(cg) "...as much of a mess as this movie is, there are moments in which Streep and Broadbent draw it into a sharp humanist focus. But they don't occur often enough."(See all of Glenn Kenny's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 843 words, 12/20/11
James Berardinelli, Reel Views: MODERATE(cg) "...plays like a series of greatest hits interspersed with scenes of an old woman in the grips of dementia having conversations with an hallucination of her dead husband..."(See all of James Berardinelli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 776 words, 01/04/12
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (13 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: FAIR "...beyond the challenge it poses for Ms. Streep, the film's reason for being is a bit obscure.... it does not really define Thatcher in any surprising or trenchant way."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,064 words, 12/30/11
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: WEAK(cg) "...another bravura turn from Meryl Streep.... But those hoping for insight into the life and times of Margaret Thatcher herself will leave deeply disappointed."(See all of Elizabeth Weitzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 320 words, 12/30/11
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...an affecting if not always satisfying portrait of the strong-willed leader humbled by age.... What helps elevate the film is the searing insight Streep brings..."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 811 words, 12/30/11
Kyle Smith, New York Post: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...stars an unsurpassable Meryl Streep, whose ability to empathize with her characters has never been more gloriously impassioned than it is in this titanic performance."(See all of Kyle Smith's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 702 words, 12/30/11
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: VERY GOOD(cg) "Thatcher herself might characterize Lloyd's sophomore feature as slight. But it's an affecting piece. Sometimes a narrow slice of an epochal life suffices."(See all of Michael Phillips's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 682 words, 01/13/12
Rafer Guzman, New York Newsday: MODERATE(cg) "Another tour de force from Streep, but the movie paints an overly familiar and oddly dour portrait of a vibrant, history-making figure."(See all of Rafer Guzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 358 words, 12/30/11
David Edelstein, New York Magazine: GOOD "The director, Phyllida Lloyd ('Mamma Mia!'), and writer, Abi Morgan ('Shame'), clearly admire Thatcher's feminism but are studiously neutral on the nature of her politics..."(See all of David Edelstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 819 words, 01/02/12
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: MODERATE(cg) "Streep creates an uncanny impersonation of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, but in this film she's all dressed up with nowhere to go."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 839 words, 01/13/12
Karina Longworth, Village Voice/LA Weekly: MODERATE "In her glory days, Thatcher is all campaign-speak bombast; later, she's a cartoon of old age, with the camera angled to emphasize her skewed point of view."(See all of Karina Longworth's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 757 words, 12/28/11
Peter Howell, Toronto Star: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Alas, Streep's achievements exceed those of the film, which would have served better as the concluding chapter of a quality BBC miniseries."(See all of Peter Howell's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 827 words, 01/13/12
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a brave and bittersweet portrait of Margaret Thatcher.... Her epic struggle these days is to simply hang on to her dignity. It's terribly sad, and terribly moving."(See all of Steven Rea's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 531 words, 01/13/12
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a curious misfire, a stylized biography of one of the most powerful women in politics, portrayed by the greatest actress of our time, that asks more questions than it answers."(See all of Bill Goodykoontz's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 594 words, 01/13/12
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: MODERATE(cg) "Eventually, the movie hits below the belt. We see her at the kitchen sink washing out that cursed teacup. She's not dead. But she's close."(See all of Wesley Morris's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 908 words, 01/13/12
Stephen Whitty, New Jersey Star-Ledger: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "This is a true, bravura performance - one of the best of the year in, sadly, a film that remains solidly in the middle of the pack."(See all of Stephen Whitty's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 587 words, 12/30/11
Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Regardless of how you feel about the real Thatcher -- about whose legacy the movie is strangely neutral -- it's a remarkable performance..."(See all of Moira Macdonald's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 517 words, 01/13/12
Shawn Levy, Portland Oregonian: GOOD(cg) "...anyone looking for a full-bodied account of the woman, her deeds, and her place in history shouldn't be encouraged to linger too long with 'The Iron Lady.' "(See all of Shawn Levy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 711 words, 01/13/12
Calvin Wilson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: VERY GOOD(cg) "Even if you have little interest in Thatcher or why she mattered, you'll likely respond to the contradictory yet charismatic character that Streep has conjured from truth and myth."(See all of Calvin Wilson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 305 words, 01/13/12
Steve Persall, St. Petersburg Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "It is PhyllidaLloyd's monument to the actor first and her subject second. Like most monuments, the movie feels impenetrable and cold to the touch."(See all of Steve Persall's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 499 words, 01/12/12
Tom Long, Detroit News: FAIR(cg) "...ends up a history without information and a story without depth or breadth. Yes, Streep is wondrous as usual, but her superpowers have been squandered here."(See all of Tom Long's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 345 words, 01/13/12
Connie Ogle, Miami Herald: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...the film never delves deeply enough into the politics or the people, preferring instead to make us feel bad about the unfortunate way in which old age levels us all."(See all of Connie Ogle's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 589 words, 01/13/12
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (8 Reviews)
Karina Longworth, Village Voice/LA Weekly: MODERATE "In her glory days, Thatcher is all campaign-speak bombast; later, she's a cartoon of old age, with the camera angled to emphasize her skewed point of view."(See all of Karina Longworth's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 757 words, 12/28/11
Tasha Robinson, AV Club: FAIR(cg) "Phyllida Lloyd ('Mamma Mia!') conveys too many of Thatcher's efforts, ups, and downs through upbeat musical montages and parades of interactions without weight."(See all of Tasha Robinson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 468 words, 12/29/11
Stephanie Zacharek, Movieline: FAIR(cg) "...a watery, artfully evasive picture, anchored by a stupendous feat of mimicry.... This is an oversimplified portrait disguised as a complex one."(See all of Stephanie Zacharek's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,103 words, 12/29/11
R. Kurt Osenlund, Slant: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a fair and fascinating portrait... As a piece of filmmaking, though, it's a kitschy bag of biopic tricks, with oodles of exposition unfurled in every diegetic way imaginable."(See all of R. Kurt Osenlund's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 880 words, 12/13/11
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: FAIR "Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher is the main reason to see 'The Iron Lady'... not just the main reason but the raison d'être of an otherwise misconceived movie."(See all of Joe Morgenstern's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 291 words, 12/30/11
A.O. Scott, New York Times: FAIR "...beyond the challenge it poses for Ms. Streep, the film's reason for being is a bit obscure.... it does not really define Thatcher in any surprising or trenchant way."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,064 words, 12/30/11
David Denby, New Yorker: MODERATE "...an oddly unsettling compound of glorification and malice.... It's a tough, honest performance, yet Streep has lent herself to a project of revenge against the character she plays."(See all of David Denby's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 728 words, 12/26/11
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...an affecting if not always satisfying portrait of the strong-willed leader humbled by age.... What helps elevate the film is the searing insight Streep brings..."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 811 words, 12/30/11
Andrew O'Hehir, Salon: MODERATE "Streep has captured Thatcher wonderfully as a plausible human being, but 'The Iron Lady' explains nothing about her political impact.... it's only barely acceptable."(See all of Andrew O'Hehir's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,380 words, 12/28/11
David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter: GOOD "Meryl Streep is riveting.... a humanizing, at times touchingly sentimental drama, its most persuasive moments often outside the political arena.... a soft-focus portrait."(See all of David Rooney's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,244 words, 11/23/11
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...an affecting if not always satisfying portrait of the strong-willed leader humbled by age.... What helps elevate the film is the searing insight Streep brings..."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 811 words, 12/30/11
Emanuel Levy, Cinema 24/7: VERY GOOD(cg) "Engrossing more than enlightening... passable entertainment, but certainly not the definitive cinematic portrait of one of the most powerful and divisive figures of our times."(See all of Emanuel Levy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,035 words, 11/29/11
A.O. Scott, New York Times: FAIR "...beyond the challenge it poses for Ms. Streep, the film's reason for being is a bit obscure.... it does not really define Thatcher in any surprising or trenchant way."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,064 words, 12/30/11
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: FAIR "Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher is the main reason to see 'The Iron Lady'... not just the main reason but the raison d'être of an otherwise misconceived movie."(See all of Joe Morgenstern's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 291 words, 12/30/11
15.5 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
The Iron Lady's reviews are separated by an average 15.5 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
The Iron Lady (48 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:The Iron Lady's reviews cover 98.6% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 31,513 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 656 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
The Iron Lady Coverage, Volume & Length (48 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 26.2 Hours After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
The Iron Lady's reviews on average broke 26.2 hours after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is The Iron Lady's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
The Iron Lady (48 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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