The Iron Lady (2011)

All Critics (206) | Top Critics (45) | Fresh (109) | Rotten (98) | DVD (8)

Yes, Streep is wondrous as usual, but her superpowers have been squandered here.

January 13, 2012 Full Review | Comment (1)

Tom Long

Detroit News

Top Critic

The Iron Lady is a performance in search of a film.

January 13, 2012 Full Review | Comments (2)

Globe and Mail

Top Critic

Often "The Iron Lady" relies on montages to get to - and plow through - historic high points.

January 13, 2012 Full Review

Lisa Kennedy

Denver Post

Top Critic

[Streep's] performance overpowers the movie it's in - a perfectly executed triple axel that renders everything else just featureless ice.

January 13, 2012 Full Review

Ann Hornaday

Washington Post

Top Critic

Streep's performance is so true and so uncannily accurate, so full and so complete in its understanding, that she is fascinating every second she is onscreen.

January 12, 2012 Full Review | Comments (2)

Mick LaSalle

San Francisco Chronicle

Top Critic

Streep, no fan of Thatcher, nicely undercuts the poignancy of her current condition with flashbacks that reveal her brittle arrogance in office.

January 12, 2012 Full Review | Comment (1)

J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

The narrative is not well structured, and Streep's performance suffers as a result.... The scenes with Broadbent are the best. They just aren't worth sitting through a history lesson that isn't taught well.

April 21, 2013 Full Review

Matt Kelemen

Las Vegas CityLife

Plucking the audience's heartstrings feels like the worst possible way to make a film about someone called The Iron Lady.

March 14, 2013 Full Review

Andy Lea

Daily Star

Meryl Streep mesmerises in her portrayal of Britain's groundbreaking but controversial leader.

March 4, 2013 Full Review

Tom Glasson

Concrete Playground

As it stands, The Iron Lady isn't doing any favours for history, feminism or at the very least fans of biopics, but it is a clear victory for Streep. It's just too bad that the film doesn't do her spot-on performance any justice.

January 29, 2013 Full Review

Kristal Cooper

We Got This Covered

There's a great story to be told about the life of Margaret Thatcher. Unfortunately, this is not it.

September 17, 2012 Full Review

Jeff Beck

Examiner.com

As it stands, The Iron Lady isn't doing any favours for history, feminism or at the very least fans of biopics, but it is a clear victory for Streep.

September 15, 2012 Full Review

Will Chadwick

We Got This Covered

Overall, it makes for an interesting watch; one powerful performance and a supporting cabinet of other great actors help to raise the film above its otherwise questionable narrative.

September 13, 2012 Full Review

Matt Looker

TheShiznit.co.uk

Streep brilliantly conveying the movie's ultimate message: After all you accomplish in this life, it's the little things that may just be our intended destinies.

September 4, 2012 Full Review

Erick Weber

NECN

With everything, including the most pivotal moments, rendered in shorthand, The Iron Lady diminishes the accomplishments of the person whose story it tells and the actress working so hard to offer a well-rounded embodiment of her.

August 17, 2012 Full Review

Mark Pfeiffer

Reel Times: Reflections on Cinema

The filmmakers haven't come to any conclusion about Thatcher or, indeed, why they made a movie about her.

April 30, 2012 Full Review

Rob Gonsalves

eFilmCritic.com

Not as satisfying as 'Kings Speech' or 'The Queen' but Streep's predictably flawless performance of Margaret Thatcher induces awe and rousing audience response.

April 16, 2012 Full Review

Bruce Bennett

Spectrum (St. George, Utah)

A lodestone soufflé, an insincere apologia for the autocratic battle axe, or yet another resplendent shrine to the Streep Eternal: Whatever The Iron Lady is to you, Anchor Bay's Blu-ray will give you just-adequate satisfaction.

April 15, 2012 Full Review

Jaime N. Christley

Slant Magazine

Streep's performance of a dismissive line such as "People don't think anymore, they feel," will have even the most dyed-in-the-wool liberal questioning core beliefs.

March 23, 2012 Full Review | Comments (3)

Roger Moore

McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Loved and loathed in equal measure, Margaret Thatcher is a difficult subject for any film, how do you make 'the Iron Lady' a sympathetic character? Why would disconcerting audiences flock to see this film?

March 10, 2012 Full Review | Comments (2)

Brian Henry Martin

UTV

• 1. Margaret Thatcher: Gentlemen, shall we join the ladies?
  – Submitted by Rawballs B (31 days ago)
• 1. Margaret Thatcher: Watch your thoughts, for they will become actions. Watch your actions, for they'll become... habits. Watch your habits for they will forge your character. Watch your character, for it will make your destiny.
  – Submitted by Dave M (10 months ago)
• 1. Margaret Thatcher: Well, it used to be about trying to do something. Now it is about trying to be someone.
  – Submitted by Chad E (10 months ago)
• 1. Denis Thatcher: Yes, the medicine is harsh, but the patient requires it in order to live. Should we withhold the medicine? No.
  – Submitted by Hussein A (12 months ago)
• 1. Margaret Thatcher: If you take the tough decisions, people will hate you today, but they will love you in generations.
  – Submitted by Ega J (12 months ago)
• 1. Margaret Thatcher: If you take the tough decisions, people will hate you today, but they will love you in generations.
  – Submitted by Ega J (12 months ago)

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