I watched this film a few weeks back. I have read some of her novels, so was already familiar with her, but didn't know much about her life.
The film starred the brilliant cast including Dame Judy Dench, Jim Broadbent and Kate Winslett. Kate's part as the young Iris is actually very small compared to the amount of media attention she got from the promo's. The real star for me is Jim Broadbent, absolutely brilliant! The film centres around Iris' slow descent into dementia from the early onset to the end and it captures all the signals without overdoing it. There is one point late in the film where the husband......... no, I will stop there.
The film handles this difficult subject sensitively and Dame Judy is extremely believable. The most difficult part of dementia is when someone who has had such a sharp mind and who would normally be able to talk on any subject starts to lose this ability, and knows that they are doing so. It makes you wonder where it has gone, how it has happened.
The only point I found lacking was the lack of social services input as the GP plays a much larger part than he would in reality. If this is how the couple really were left, rather than being part of the artistic licence of the film makers, then it is a sad reflection of our society that no one helped either Iris to come to terms with her dementia, or for her husband to get any help with coping when he himself was quite an elderly man.
This was a very thought provoking film, and one that haunts you for a while afterwards.
Beautiful scenes, very 'English' feel, definitely one to watch in a peaceful room.
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Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
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![Iris [DVD] [2002]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78546568.jpg "Iris [DVD] [2002]")
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