Metacritic Movie Ratings
The Iron Lady Reviews

A sample of reviews from critics across the country.

• 75

  out of 100

  Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum

  Streep is a pleasure to behold; less so the rest of The Iron Lady.

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• 70

  out of 100

  The Hollywood Reporter

  Meryl Streep gives a fully realized portrait of British Prime Minister Thatcher in a biopic that values character over context.

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• 63

  out of 100

  USA TodayClaudia Puig

  It's hard to rationalize the vision of this dotty elderly woman with the tough-minded politician. The story lacks insight, glosses over key political issues and is unworthy of Streep's masterful performance.

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• 60

  out of 100

  Los Angeles TimesBetsy Sharkey

  The film catches her long after she's left the public eye, and rather than an examination, or an assessment, of her politics, it instead offers up an affecting if not always satisfying portrait of the strong-willed leader humbled by age.

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• 50

  out of 100

  VarietyLeslie Felperin

  Fuzzy-headed biopic, which glosses over the former British prime minister's politics in favor of a glib, breakneck whirl around her career and marriage.

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• 50

  out of 100

  Village Voice

  Despite the story's conceit of placing the viewer inside Thatcher's head, she never feels like a real person - but this is more the fault of Morgan's script than Streep's typically studied performance, much of it buried under prosthetics.

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• 50

  out of 100

  Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert

  You have to be very talented to work with Meryl Streep. It also helps to know how to use her. The Iron Lady fails in both of these categories.

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• 50

  out of 100

  The New YorkerDavid Denby

  This bio-pic, written by Abi Morgan and directed by Phyllida Lloyd, is an oddly unsettled compound of glorification and malice. It whirts around restlessly and winds up nowhere. [2 Jan. 2012, p.78]

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• 40

  out of 100

  The New York TimesA.O. Scott

  You are left with the impression of an old woman who can't quite remember who she used to be and of a movie that is not so sure either.

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• 30

  out of 100

  Wall Street JournalJoe Morgenstern

  Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher is the main reason to see The Iron Lady, which was directed by Phyllida Lloyd - not just the main reason but the raison d'être of an otherwise misconceived movie.

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