The Iron Lady - 8 stars out of 10

The Iron Lady - 8 stars out of 10

"Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become your character. And watch your character, for it becomes your destiny! What we think we become. My father always said that... and I think I am fine."  Meryl Streep offers one of her finest performances in this bold portrayal of Margaret Thatcher.  It is almost disgusting that any actor could be THIS GOOD as Streep goes beyond portrayal and becomes this historical figure.  It doesn't hurt that the Oscar-nominated make-up stunningly turns Streep into the 86-year-old former Prime Minister, but it is truly Streep's acting chops that give this character her unquestionably authentic voice.  A unique aspect of her performance is that her acting continuously gains momentum throughout the film, beginning with a soft conversation, building through her bone-chilling speeches, and reaching her climactic tear in the final 5 minutes of the film.  I was also very impressed by Alexandra Roach as the young Maragaret Thatcher, perfectly creating a lovable character for the audience to latch on to.  "The Iron Lady" has been criticized for its portrayal of Thatcher's dimentia and while it does seem a bit insulting to the still-living Thatcher, the writers effectively use it as a story-telling tool.  At first, I was not sure how I felt about the shifting between old woman and flashback but this was the perfect way to highlight the big moments of her career without creating a typical biography.  The script really impressed me with its shifting between Thatcher as the Prime Minister, young member of Parliament, and old woman.  My main complaint is the discord between Thatcher as a political figure and Thatcher as a loving wife.  The film begins with a focus on the heart-warming interactions with her husband (entertainingly played by Jim Broadbent).  It then spends the majority of the film paying tribute to the most important moments of her political career before awkwardly returning to her love for her husband for the conclusion.  The writers took on too much for a 105-minute film and should have either focused on 1. her career and its effects on her in the present or 2. the relationship with her husband and the effects of her career on that - not both at once.  In the end, does it really matter since Meryl Streep graces the screen with such a fine performance, beautifully ending with a little symbolism in the form of a tea cup?  It may not be the greatest biopic of all time but Streep indisputably earns another Oscar nomination by creating 2 separate portrayals of Britain's only female Prime Minister in this film: one in the prime of her career and full of youthful energy, the other reliving the memories as she struggles to hold her life together.  Forget what the critics say - it's Meryl Streep!  That is all.