Not
surprisingly, Dame Judi Dench, Jim Broadbent, and Kate Winslet all earned well
deserved Oscar nominations for their beautifully nuanced performances in the bio
pic Iris. What's most disheartening is the exclusion of the wonderful Hugh Bonneville
who's turn in this movie is every bit as important as his co-stars.
This
movie is about famous novelist Iris Murdoch and her forty year romance with John
Bayley, a professor at Oxford. Sadly, the film makers have chosen to put an emphasis
on Iris' bout with Alzheimer's disease, rather than really giving us an in depth
look at this extraordinary woman's life. Thankfully, the powerful performances
keep Iris from becoming a cheesy disease movie of the week.
Judi
Dench and Kate Winslet play the old and young Iris Murdoch. Dench is absolutely
graceful as the aging Iris, displaying a warmth and intelligence that really add
depth to this character. Winslet provides an interesting contrast as the young
and adventurous Iris. She is both energetic and quirky as the famed novelist in
her early years. Jim Broadbent and Hugh Bonneville play the old and young John
Bayley. Broadbent (who was also terrific in Moulin Rouge) is fantastic here dealing
with feelings of undying love and absolute frustration towards his ill wife. Bonneville
not only looks like a young Broadbent, but captures some of his mannerisms as
well. He is both sympathetic and vulnerable as a youthful Bayley.
Iris
has an interesting narrative. As the elderly Iris battles her disease, we are
introduced to her world as a young lady through a series of flashbacks that take
place throughout the film.
Again,
the screenplay by Richard Eyre puts more focus on Iris's battle with this awful
disease. A film celebrating her fascinating life would have been more welcome,
but that hardly makes this a bad movie. Charles Wood does a good job balancing
both time frames. Although, I found the flashbacks slightly more interesting because
they seem to give more insight into what these people are all about.
Iris
is really a celebration of love. It's about a most unlikely couple who would spend
most of their lives together despite obvious hurdles. And despite moments that
feel slightly disjointed, the brilliant cast manage to hold our attention.
