Oscars 2012: Making a Case For Meryl Streep in 'The Iron Lady'

It almost seems ludicrous to even make a case for the legendary Meryl Streep given that her long-standing acting career pretty much speaks for itself. She's MERYL STREEP! What more is there to say?

After seeing her brilliantly play the role of Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady, turns out there's plenty to talk about—the first being the fact that Meryl looks remarkably like the actual Margaret Thatcher. Whenever a movie needs superb authenticity we can always bank on Meryl to deliver. I've believed her to be an editor-in-chief of Runway, a nun, a cooking personality, and the list goes on and on. She's looked like every single one of them. While some actresses tend to get stuck in one genre, playing one particular type of role, Meryl's range is never-ending. She's a regular acting chameleon.

But it takes more than looks to truly emulate someone -- it takes a great deal of dedication and talent, two things that Meryl seems to have in spades (and then some). If she wants us to feel sad, then we're sad. If she wants us to feel inspired, then we're inspired. If she wants us to believe she's the Prime Minister of Great Britain, then guess what -- we believe it. Streep was careful to perfect all of Thatcher's mannerisms to a nearly flawless degree. From her posture to the tone of steady conviction in her voice, Streep convinced us no choice but to believe in her portrayal whole-heartedly.

But like she does with so many of the other roles she plays, Streep showed us sides to her character we wouldn't normally get to see. Like any political figure, Thatcher was both beloved and hated all around the world. Her controversial leadership was sometimes seen as cruel and ruthless, but Streep let Thatcher's humanity shine through. Here's a woman who put her career before family time and time again, yet Streep forces us to see her positive attributes as well -- as an ambitious woman in a man's world, struggling to gain a voice. By showing us both her triumphs as well as her failings, Streep manages to exude the very essence of Thatcher's stubborn persona and makes hthe iron ladyer almost relatable. In fact, by the end of the film -- after watching her struggle with her dementia and converse with her deceased husband -- we're even left feeling a little sorry for her. A feat only the legendary Streep could accomplish.

And this isn't just a one time occurrence. Meryl never just portrays a character in her movies, she becomes them...every...single...time. To see her disappear into her roles is nothing short of extraordinary and she's been robbed from earning another Oscar one too many times in her day. If you recall, Streep's been nominated for an Oscar 17 times (an all-time Academy record), yet she's only won twice: once in 1978 as Best Supporting Actress in The Deer Hunter and again in 1982 as Best Actress in Sophie's Choice. This seems like a major flaw in the overall grand design of the entertainment industry, especially since Streep is widely regarded as one of the most talented and respected actresses of her time. I say it's time for The Academy to rectify the situation and give Streep the proper credit she so deserves.


(fk/i/mtl)