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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." (Read the full review...) 191 words, 01/05/12 Richard Corliss, Time: GOOD "...a nice surprise.... 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." (Read the full review...) 1,152 words, 12/30/11 Christy Lemire, Associated Press: MODERATE (cg) "Streep reliably nails her impression of Thatcher [but the film] reduces this high-profile life to a greatest-hits collection of historic moments.... even the greatest actress of our time can only do so much when the figure she's playing just isn't on the page." (Read the full review...) 530 words, 12/29/11 Mara Reinstein, Us Weekly: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg) "Streep impeccably conveys Thatcher's authority and vulnerability.... But the film errs by lingering too much on her present-day dementia and sad conversations with her dead husband." (Read the full review...) 136 words, 01/05/12 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 of what made/makes the subject tick." (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." (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." (Read the full review...) 505 words, 12/30/11 Roger Ebert, RogerEbert.com: 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. Director Phyllida Lloyd and screenwriter Abi Morgan seem to have little clear idea of what they think about Thatcher, or what they want to say." (Read the full review...) 839 words, 01/13/12 Glenn Kenny, MSN Movies: WEAK (cg) "...pretty relentless in its efforts to squelch thought while promoting pity, empathy, and a little dread.... 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." (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, Denis (Jim Broadbent).... The pace is dreadfully slow..." (Read the full review...) 776 words, 01/04/12
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. You are left with the impression of an old woman who can't quite remember who she used to be and of a movie that is not so sure either." (Read the full review...) 1,064 words, 12/30/11 Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: WEAK (cg) "Anybody expecting to catch yet another bravura turn from Meryl Streep should be suitably impressed... But those hoping for insight into the life and times of Margaret Thatcher herself will leave deeply disappointed." (Read the full review...) 320 words, 12/30/11 Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...affecting if not always satisfying... if you come expecting keen insight into the intrigues of Thatcher's very long political life, or even something as simple as why the Soviets dubbed her the Iron Lady, consider a trip to the library instead." (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.... a standout even by her standards." (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." (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." (Read the full review...) 358 words, 12/30/11 David Edelstein, New York Magazine: GOOD "...shallow but satisfying, largely because of Meryl Streep... 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..." (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. Director Phyllida Lloyd and screenwriter Abi Morgan seem to have little clear idea of what they think about Thatcher, or what they want to say." (Read the full review...) 839 words, 01/13/12 Karina Longworth, Village Voice/LA Weekly: MODERATE "Despite the story's conceit of placing the viewer inside Thatcher's head, she never feels like a real person.... In her glory days, even behind closed doors, 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." (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." (Read the full review...) 827 words, 01/13/12 Rick Groen, Toronto Globe & Mail: MODERATE (cg) "...a performance in search of a film." (Read the full review...) 729 words, 01/13/12 Susan G. Cole, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg) "The politics are a mess; even Thatcher herself would be appalled. But Streep's performance is genius." (Read the full review...) 208 words, 01/12/12
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post: MODERATE (cg) "...a curious piece of work, leaving viewers with the sense that its subject has been both lionized and punished." (Read the full review...) 626 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." (Read the full review...) 531 words, 01/13/12 Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: VERY GOOD (cg) "It's a one-woman show, but what a show it is." (Read the full review...) 481 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." (Read the full review...) 594 words, 01/13/12 Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: MODERATE (cg) "It's a parade float atop which Streep can pose and impose.... 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." (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." (Read the full review...) 587 words, 12/30/11 Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: VERY GOOD (cg) "Think of 'The Iron Lady' as a mediocre strategy touched by genius, the brilliant execution of a so-so idea." (Read the full review...) 742 words, 01/13/12 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: Streep shows us a light fading but still unflickering." (Read the full review...) 517 words, 01/13/12 Shawn Levy, Portland Oregonian: GOOD (cg) "...a fine performance by the irreplaceable Streep... 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.' " (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. As biopics go, 'The Iron Lady' is among the more intriguing ones." (Read the full review...) 305 words, 01/13/12 Steve Persall, St. Petersburg Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg) "...too timid to make this firestorm politician's life more than just another star carriage to an Oscar nomination. It is Lloyd's monument to the actor first and her subject second. Like most monuments, the movie feels impenetrable and cold to the touch." (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." (Read the full review...) 345 words, 01/13/12 Connie Ogle, Miami Herald: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg) "...neglects the more intriguing aspects of Thatcher's life for maudlin scenes and quick biographical sketches that only hint at why this woman became the force that she was.... too many of the scenes are mere snapshots..." (Read the full review...) 589 words, 01/13/12
Karina Longworth, Village Voice/LA Weekly: MODERATE "Despite the story's conceit of placing the viewer inside Thatcher's head, she never feels like a real person.... In her glory days, even behind closed doors, 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." (Read the full review...) 757 words, 12/28/11 Peter Keough, Boston Phoenix: MODERATE (cg) "Streep's performance notwithstanding, this 'Lady' suffers from iron deficiency." (Read the full review...) 155 words, 01/12/12 Tasha Robinson, AV Club: FAIR (cg) "Director Phyllida Lloyd ('Mamma Mia!') conveys too many of Thatcher's efforts, ups, and downs through upbeat musical montages and parades of interactions without weight." (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." (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 performance vehicle for Meryl Streep, 'The Iron Lady' is unmissable... As a piece of filmmaking, though, it's a kitschy bag of biopic tricks, with oodles of exposition unfurled in every diegetic way imaginable." (Read the full review...) 880 words, 12/13/11 Susan G. Cole, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg) "The politics are a mess; even Thatcher herself would be appalled. But Streep's performance is genius." (Read the full review...) 208 words, 01/12/12 Curt Holman, Atlanta Creative Loafing: WEAK (cg) "Overall, proves too wishy-washy to voice an opinion on Thatcher." (Read the full review...) 288 words, 01/11/12
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.... If only the film as a whole deserved the brilliance of its star." (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. You are left with the impression of an old woman who can't quite remember who she used to be and of a movie that is not so sure either." (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." (Read the full review...) 728 words, 12/26/11 Jeannette Catsoulis, NPR: POOR "...demeaning.... Lloyd and her scriptwriter, Abi Morgan, get nothing right: not the tone (more farce than biography) nor the focus (mental decline over Oxford-educated reasoning) nor even the breadth and magnitude of the woman's accomplishments.... 'The Iron Lady' is cinematic scrap metal." (Read the full review...) 616 words, 12/29/11 Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...affecting if not always satisfying... if you come expecting keen insight into the intrigues of Thatcher's very long political life, or even something as simple as why the Soviets dubbed her the Iron Lady, consider a trip to the library instead." (Read the full review...) 811 words, 12/30/11 Dana Stevens, Slate: WEAK "If it weren't for Streep, 'The Iron Lady' would be unwatchable.... the film feels stifled and domesticated. Is there any world leader we need to watch at length as they moon over their college sweetheart?" (Read the full review...) 1,290 words, 12/29/11 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].... As a starter course in Thatcher studies and a post-'King's Speech,' Brit-history melodrama, it's only barely acceptable." (Read the full review...) 1,380 words, 12/28/11
Leslie Felperin, Daily Variety: MODERATE "...a fuzzy-headed biopic... glosses over the former British prime minister's politics in favor of a glib, breakneck whirl around her career and marriage.... the film's mealymouthed stance toward its subject's politics undercuts Meryl Streep's efforts..." (Read the full review...) 1,034 words, 11/23/11 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.... it seems coy in its reluctance to make harder-hitting, more provocative points.... a soft-focus portrait." (Read the full review...) 1,244 words, 11/23/11 Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...affecting if not always satisfying... if you come expecting keen insight into the intrigues of Thatcher's very long political life, or even something as simple as why the Soviets dubbed her the Iron Lady, consider a trip to the library instead." (Read the full review...) 811 words, 12/30/11 Emanuel Levy, Cinema 24/7: VERY GOOD (cg) "Engrossing more than enlightening, descriptive more than illuminating, deferential more than critical... passable entertainment, but certainly not the definitive cinematic portrait of one of the most powerful and divisive figures of our times." (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. You are left with the impression of an old woman who can't quite remember who she used to be and of a movie that is not so sure either." (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.... If only the film as a whole deserved the brilliance of its star." (Read the full review...) 291 words, 12/30/11
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