Desertman84 Iris is a biographical picture that tells a true story of British novelist Iris Murdoch and her relationship with John Bayley. It contrasts the start of their relationship, when Murdoch was an outgoing, dominant individual as compared to her timid and scholarly partner Bayley, and their their old age,when Murdoch was suffering from Alzheimer's disease and tended to by a frustrated Bayley in their North Oxford home in Charlbury Road.This film stars Judi Dench as Iris,Kate Winslet as the young Iris,Jim Broadbent as John and Hugh Bonneville as the young John.The screenplay was written by Richard Eyre and Charles Wood Bayley's memoir "Elegy for Iris" and it was directed also by Richard Eyre.The story is told wherein the young Iris Murdoch meets fellow student John Bayley at the University of Oxford, he is a naive virgin easily flummoxed by her libertine spirit, arch personality, and obvious artistic talent. It also tells in parallel their life decades later, little has changed and the couple keeps house, with John doting on his more famous wife when Iris begins experiencing forgetfulness and dementia.However, the devoted John struggles with hopelessness and frustration to become her caretaker, as his wife's mind deteriorates from the ravages of Alzheimer's disease.This is a touching film about two people who love each other and it gives us insights the pain and suffering that people undergo when stricken by Alzheimer's disease and the pain experienced by the people surrounding them.The performances of all four actors are worthy of praise especially Judi Dench,who captured the older Iris.The only thing about it that it failed to get a perfect rating is that the film isn't powerful and compelling enough to make it a great film.But regardless of the reason stated,Iris is a highly recommended for everyone who like great romantic stories.

evanston_dad Pretty standard biopic about author Iris Murdoch (Judi Dench) and her struggle with Alzheimer's.There are no complaints with the film's acting, which in addition to Dench's performance includes an Oscar-winning portrayal of Murdoch's loyal husband (played by Jim Broadbent) and extended glimpses of Murdoch's younger self (played by Kate Winslet). But performances aside, the film never rises above the level of fair, mostly because it's just too safe and too reminiscent of a million other biopics about famous artists.Dench and Winslet were also Oscar nominated, only the second time that two different actresses received nominations for playing the same character in the same film (the other being "Titanic," which also starred Winslet in the "younger self" role -- how's that for obscure trivia?) Grade: B

liten IrisA film about Irish Murdoch, renown British writer, who of Alzeihmer's and old age died. This is predominantly a story about love. Irish Murdoch marries John Bayley and they live a life together, until she dies. Rather simple, and rather straightforward. No surprises in this movie, and yet it is very beautiful one. One would think that to love is beyond words. But not for Iris. Her life evolved around words, and she famously said: "Without words, how can one think?" and yet she lost the ability to speak and think the way we do as she grew old. A rather ironic turn of events. But the story needed to be told. The love of John Bayley for Iris, throughout their young years until their old age was one that needed to be told. It goes without staying that with the heavy stardom of this movie, with the likes of Kate Winslet, Judi Dench and Jim Broadbent, acting is superb throughout. Take for example the scene where John& Iris return from the house of the man who was not the chosen by Iris as her boyfriend. John is rather disappointed that he has not read Iris' new book and says so as they walk back through the sunny street. Iris then turns on the threshold of her house, with a look of fear in her eyes, and doubt, and this is beautifully played. Or during the rather touching moments of John swimming in the ocean with his clothes on. What is more funny and cute than that, that shows love and simplicity and the joy of life?For the faint-hearted, this may bring some tears to your eyes, and for the rest, apart from the imbeciles that would actually not like this movie (not the ones that'd get bored, that I may understand) but who'd genuinely not like it, well, that is your problem, because a story has never been so nicely played out in its simplicity and with little words, in contrast to Iris' prolific writing.No reason to put stars for this movie, we are not in class anymore. Go see it! You will not be disappointed, and you will love it!

kenjha This screen biography of Iris Murdoch flashes back and forth between her twilight years as she battles Alzheimer's disease and her life as an aspiring writer in the 1950s. The casting is uncanny - it's totally believable that Winslet and Bonneville would age into Dench and Broadbent, respectively. The acting is also quite good, particularly Broadbent as the supportive but long-suffering husband of the woman who enjoyed a sexually adventurous life, a role that won him an Oscar. The problem is that there isn't much to the script other than mundane scenes of life then and now. Without a compelling plot to tie it all together, the film fails to sustain interest despite its short length.