Iris

Iris is another case of the depth of the subject being stronger than its cinematic execution. A colleague who is well versed in Iris Murdoch’s novels argued that my lack of knowledge of her work was the reason for my cold impression of the film. But I didn’t know anything about John Nash either and A Beautiful Mind moved me, because that film was able to show me his story in the most captivating way. This film is subtle and sophisticated, but it’s also as dull and unremarkable as Iris’s gradual departure into eternal darkness. If it weren’t for the great acting, it would have been nothing more than a bland and quickly forgettable made-for-TV movie. (31.07.2002)

Iris is a very (really very) moving story about a woman who, due to illness, begins to lose her own personality and the very essence of her life over time. The intertwining of the two timelines feels a bit chaotic at first, but this settles down over time and the end result feels good and purposeful. I found the more impressive line to be the one from the present day, as it was much more challenging in terms of acting, and both Judi Dench and Jim Broadbent played their roles to perfection and gave breathtaking performances. Of course Kate Winslet and Hugh Bonneville were convincing too, but the "older couple" wins. In short, an incredibly sweet and sad film with a slight musical component that is all about love in its most devoted and purest form. Rivals (08.06.2013)