Iron Lady: a short review

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Iron_Lady_film

I caught an early session of The Iron Lady (Phyllida Lloyd, 2011) at the Rivoli Cinema today and all the hype around the film was correct. Meryl Streep was brilliant as the aging Margaret Thatcher suffering from Alzheimer's disease but, no matter how engaging in terms of a historical overview (albeit limited) of Thatcher's rise to power and eleven and a half years of office as Britain's first and only female Prime Minister, this was an extremely sad film, not only because it did not (in my opinion) reflect Thatcher's strength - she always appeared formidable in media reportage of the 80s, but because the focus upon her obvious dementia seemed to undermine her past status and enduring legacy. However, even though her hallucinatory discussions with her dead husband Denis (Jim Broadbent) made her appear as though she had completely lost the plot, I found this aspect of her fragility endearing. Indeed, Denis and his antics, portrayed in the film as flashbacks and fantasy gave a lighter feel to Thatcher's deteriorating health, since he was almost always clowning about and she  was always so serious. Since Thatcher was a driven individual throughout her life,  the films emphasis upon three days in her life in which she is sorting out her deceased husband's effects and her constant lapses into states of dementia profiles the self-effacing and detrimental affect of the disease on the individual and people who must care for them. More than once I nearly cried as Thatcher admitted to not recognizing herself and more than once I was reminded of Lady Diana Spencer, not only because Meryl Streep as Thatcher looked a little like the older, thinner Lady Diana - Princess of Wales with her pale, English rose complexion and fair hair, but because they were significant public figures who appeared quite lonely in their quest not only to stand out as women, but to make a difference to society. If you are expecting to see a film that depicts the Iron Lady, then this film does not fulfill its name, however, if you are prepared to recognize the complexities of Margaret Thatcher and her life, then this film certainly goes some way toward providing the subtleties of her persona.