21-01-2012

It was with mixed emotions that I entered the Buitenhof Pathe cinema this afternoon to watch The Iron Lady. Having lived through the Thatcher era in the UK and remembering the odd juxtaposition of Mrs T's St. Francis of Assisi speech and her actions which caused extreme disharmony and discord.

Of course the film is not about the public Margaret Thatcher, but is a study on aging and the tricks that the mind can play on us as we grow old. Meryl Streep 's performance is quite amazing, considering that much of the action uses extreme close up shots showing quite raw emotions. Streep displays many of Lady Thatcher's mannerisms quite brilliantly and inhabits the persona.
The relationship between daughter Carol Thatcher and her mother is a key part of the film, as the once powerful woman, now has to rely on her daughter in so many ways. There has been much criticism of the film for having the key parts of the Thatcher political era come and go without much discussion of them, but of course this is not the point of the film.
I came away having enjoyed the film, but still a little wary of the way that I had been manipulated into considering the human story around such a controversial figure.... is it too soon for a film such as this?