Typical biographical film supported with good acting

This was such a sad and moving film. The acting was very good. It's worth the watch but can be intense. 3.5 stars

Excellent performances in this intriguing character scope

Judi Dench, Kate Winslet, and Jim Broadbent star together based on the 1999 memoir English author Iris Murdoch was one of the most celebrated writers in Britain She graduated from Oxford and had a very libertine spirit Iris later became a philosopher and a novelist with her husband John Bailey The story contrasts the start of their relationship, when Murdoch was an outgoing, dominant individual compared to the timid and scholarly Bayley, and their later life, when Murdoch was suffering from Alzheimer's disease and tended to by a frustrated Bayley in their North Oxford home in Charlbury Road It's a solid drama no doubt and Dench, Broadbent, and Winslet lead the film with their committed performances But the whole thing feels like a depressing emotional roller coaster A lot of the editing is jarring going from this couples youth to their senior years Might actually bring some viewers' spirits down given how much Iris and her husband go through given her condition Not a very joyful experience but the actors are trying their hardest as any couple leaving an illustrious career behind while battling internal problems Doesn't hold much replay value but this couple makes it bearable

This is the type of quiet movie with little enough actual plot or anything else going on that it allows itself to be carried on the strength of its cast's acting prowess, and they had it in spades here. Not only did Broadbent firmly deserve his Oscar win, doing more with his star vehicle than Ben Kingsley did with Sexy Beast, the rest of the cast (particularly the young versions) were only a few steps behind him. Bonneville seemed to be playing a young version of Broadbent himself rather than John Bayley and did a really entertaining job of it; if Broadbent had been moved to the Best Actor category I would've liked to have seen Bonneville nominated for his performance. Winslet did great in a stripped down sort of way (pun intended; she wore plain clothes & no makeup when she had any on at all) but I actually wasn't enamored with Judi's performance. I think the problem was more with the lines she was given but ultimately I didn't find her portrayal of Alzheimer's particularly believable. I'm happy to have seen this even if its primary redeeming quality was Broadbent being an absolute legend.

You cannot trust the critics without knowing their age. A young-ish person, say 40 and under, would have a very different take on this movie than someone 65+. At 74, I understood and appreciated the story, the acting (of course), the makeup, and the poor housekeeping that plagued them in their later years. I didn't identify with the characters, but I understood what they were feeling and experiencing. As a result, it deeply hit home. The Alzheimer's that eventually took Iris is always a fear to an older person. I think an older critic would appreciate this stellar movie much more than a recent college graduate with a degree in English.

Not an easy watch but the performances make it worth it.

Iris presents a true and tragic tale about an important medical issue that plagues many people, however, it failed to keep me fully grasped in the story due to the snail's pace and often time wooden character moments. The cast does great with what they're given and there are some great moments, but Iris felt a bit of a chore to get through 2.5/5 stars

Superlative in every department, this brief (just 80 minutes) biography of novelist Iris Murdoch oscillates between her early university years and final descent into Alzheimer's. Less a straight narrative, the screenplay by director Richard Eyre mirrors the fractures of this awful disease, with sudden switches between the two time frames. Luminously well-acted by the entire cast, particularly Judi Dench and (Oscar-winning) Jim Broadbent, and - as their younger selves - Kate Winslet and Hugh Bonneville.

I greatly enjoyed this love letter to love, life, and the written word.

ð??? outstanding performances by all!

A brilliant biopic of Iris Murdoch, even though I don't quite get Murdoch's work, this film is very well made.

Good old Iris. I'd have given up on her a long time ago.

Iris Murdoch's biopic through the eyes of her husband and companion John Baley. Brave performances by all the seasoned actors.

Very well-acted -- especially the great Judi Dench. It brings to mind Still Alice and its very similar subject matter, and it's just as emotional and relatable as that film. Unfortunately, the flashback scenes featuring Dench's character's younger years are filled with the biopic cliches that I can't stand. These scenes, for me, just don't inform enough of the character's older self. I like the transitions between the two time periods, just not so much the flashback content itself.

A part biography of the life of Iris Murdoch, although it's essentially a very moving drama and statement about dementia. It's extremely well acted with Jim Broadbent and Judi Dench doing a fantastic job expressing the sadness of frustration of what the cruel degenerative disease does to people both with or without it.

Iris's heart-melting performaces and sensitive direction makes it a complete, solid bio-pic.

The performances are fine from the always great Judi Dench and Jim Broadbent and also from Hugh Boneville. Kate Winslet is good too but I'm not a huge fan of her's but she does a good job. The ending moments are really powerful

The true story of Iris Murdoch taken from the memoirs written by her husband. We get to follow their lives, both in their younger days as well as their later ones. I was very surprised of how strong and wonderful this story was portrayed. The performances of Judi Dench and Jim Broadbent are like always, the best. Under the direction of Richard Eyre, he brings out amazing performances. Kate Winslet and Hugh Bonneville are also good in their roles as the younger version of thecouple, although their performances are not as strong. But their portion of the story makes the older versions of the two a lot more powerful. I am just wondering if there would be a chance that we can see a movie where Winslet does NOT take her clothes off. It's really starting to get old. Sumerizing, this is a truly good drama and shows how someone who has been praised by their talent goes from clear to dimentia.

Iris is an incredible film. It is about the lifelong romance between novelist Iris Murdoch and her husband John Bayley, from their student days through her battle with Alzheimer's disease. Kate Winslet and Judi Dench give excellent performances. The screenplay is well written. Richard Eyre did a great job directing this movie. I enjoyed watching this motion picture because of the drama and romance. Iris is a must see.