The Iron Lady
Dir: Phyllida Lloyd
2011
**
Phyllida Lloyd started out her career in the theatre - this should give a clue about what to expect from The Iron Lady. It's basically a fictional account of Thatcher's life, then and before her death. It's about 25% factual for good measure but it's a bit of a stretch to call it a true biopic. The narrative is horrible, fans and critics of Thatcher can at last agree on something. It is of course Meryl Streep's performance that makes it worth seeing. The supporting cast is sometimes successful too but often amusing when it shouldn't be. I think Olivia Coleman deserves recognition too for her spot on performance, again she goes criminally overlooked. I didn't hate it as much as I thought I would but after Mama Mia and then Thatcher, I dread to see what Phyllida Lloyd comes up with next. *Warning, this film is unsuitable for miners.