The Iron Lady

PG-13

Released Dec 30, 2011

1h 45m

Biography

History

Drama

List

52%

Tomatometer

238 Reviews

51%

Audience Score

50,000+ Ratings

In her twilight years, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (Meryl Streep) reflects on her life and career as she finally prepares to dispose of the belongings of her late husband, Denis (Jim Broadbent). Daughter of a Grantham grocer, she successfully broke through a double-paned glass ceiling of gender and class. Thatcher became the first female prime minister of the United Kingdom and remained as such for 11 consecutive years, until declining popularity forced her to resign.

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Critics Consensus

Meryl Streep's performance as The Iron Lady is reliably perfect, but it's mired in bland, self-important storytelling.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

The Iron Lady is a better performance than it is film, although I suspect the performance will carry the day.

Aug 31, 2018

Full Review

Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

While the movie tries to cultivate Thatcher's life, it's not perfect. But the chemistry between Broadbent and Streep to elevate an untold romance beautifully elevates the flawed movie.

Rated: C+

Sep 8, 2017

Full Review

Graham Fuller

Film Comment Magazine

So, as thrilling as it is to watch Streep imitate Thatcher, The Iron Lady feels like a missed opportunity, not to blame and cast aspersions, but to weigh and assess.

Nov 5, 2013

Full Review

Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

While the film is respectful of her past achievements, we can't help but want more of the "Iron Lady" of the past, not the Rusty Woman in the present.

Rated: 2/5

Sep 4, 2023

Full Review

Amy Smith

Next Best Picture

With a short runtime of under two hours, it takes too long for the screenplay to get to the meat of the political situation as the story instead favors an almost sympathetic set-up for a character that many find hard to love.

Rated: 4/10

Apr 27, 2023

Full Review

Edward Porter

Sunday Times (UK)

Yet even in the film’s hokiest moments Streep’s work is impressive, as is the sheer nerve she displays just by taking on the role.

Feb 27, 2023

Full Review

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Robert Y

To show the entire life of a towering figure of demonstrated strength, decisiveness, intellect and historical significance entirely through the lens of her dementia in later life is a substantial distraction from her life story and achievements. It takes the edge off her story as though the director was trying to diminish her capabilities and achievements. btw, Meryl Streep was outstanding and made the film.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

06/19/24

Full Review

helder f

The movie is rather heavy on the anguish of memory loss and the confusion between past and present to a point that the biography of her most relevant years ( in the public domain) falls a bit flat. Great scenes, undoubtedly, but as a whole the movie doesn’t really blend. We can’t be simultaneously worried about the old lady who’s frail and confused and remember that her stronger years. That constant back and forth is exhausting and doesn’t allow the space to appreciate one or the other. The same could be said about her perspective and other perspective about her. We get to see how she feels and remembers, and suddenly we see that her daughter seeing her in the current time at times to realize she was confused. I think all these different angles make the movie a bit unreadable and uncomfortable.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

04/21/24

Full Review

Gareth v

While the performance of Streep makes this worth investing in, be prepared this is a slog at times with it's story that goes nowhere.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/11/24

Full Review

Paul G

A missed opportunity. The focus was mostly on Mrs Thatchers failing memory and her talking to her dead husband with some flashbacks of her past. The focus really should have been on her career and accomplishment's which would have made for a superior film. The acting was very good. unfortunately it was the wrong script.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/13/24

Full Review

Ate Lucy F

Only Merryl saved this shitty film.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/29/23

Full Review

Thomas M

The best makeup and hairstyling ever done in a movie!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/26/22

Full Review

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Phyllida Lloyd

Director

Meryl Streep

Margaret Thatcher

Jim Broadbent

Denis Thatcher

Alexandra Roach

Young Margaret Thatcher

Harry Lloyd

Young Denis Thatcher

Olivia Colman

Carol Thatcher

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Synopsis

In her twilight years, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (Meryl Streep) reflects on her life and career as she finally prepares to dispose of the belongings of her late husband, Denis (Jim Broadbent). Daughter of a Grantham grocer, she successfully broke through a double-paned glass ceiling of gender and class. Thatcher became the first female prime minister of the United Kingdom and remained as such for 11 consecutive years, until declining popularity forced her to resign.

Director: Phyllida Lloyd
Producer: Damian Jones
Screenwriter: Abi Morgan
Distributor: Weinstein Co.
Production Co: Pathé
Rating: PG-13 (Some Violent Images|Brief Nudity)
Genre: Biography, History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 30, 2011, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 30, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $30.0M
Runtime: 1h 45m

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