FILM

UK 2011 105 mins Dir: Phyllida Lloyd Starring: Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Richard E. Grant, Olivia Colman, Roger Allom, Iain Glen

Thatcherites are already up in arms over a prosthetically augmented Meryl Streep's portrayal of Margaret Thatcher's dementia. Those who despised Thatch and everything she stood for are unlikely to be able to summon up the sympathy required for director Phyllida Lloyd and screenwriter Abi Morgan's account of the young Margaret Roberts's determined struggle against ingrained Tory sexism during her rise to become PM and trounce the miners, Argies, IRA hunger strikers, and so on. So who, exactly, is going to pay to see 'The Iron Lady', even after Streep bags those inevitable awards for her impressive if rather showy impersonation?

Opening with aged Thatch slipping her minders and nipping down the shop to buy some milk, the film is constructed as a series of flashbacks. Still having conversations with deceased Denis (Broadbent), the befuddled old bird revisits key episodes in her life, beginning with grocer dad Alfred (Glen) displaying inspirational Blitz Spirit. It's hard to suppress a snigger when Roger ('The Thick of It') Allom pops up as Gordon Reece for the 'King's Speech'-style voice-lowering episode. Indeed, the film is probably best enjoyed as parody. I was continually reminded of the Comic Strip's 'The Strike' - in which, you'll recall, Jennifer Saunders played Meryl Streep playing Arthur Scargill's wife. What's more, Olivia Colman openly milks Carol Thatcher for laughs, while Jim Broadbent channels John Wells's 'Anyone for Denis' caricature of Denis Thatcher. Before they're introduced by name, there's also some fun to be had in trying to figure out who the unfortunate supporting cast are supposed to be playing in Thatcher's underwritten cabinet. Only Richard E Grant's Heseltine makes much of an impression, and he lets the wig do all the heavy acting work. (Robin Askew)

Website www.theironladymovie.co.uk/

Opens: January 6

Copyright Robin Askew 2011