As “The Iron Lady” has been screened for journalists in the United Kingdom these past days, many outlets have published their first reviews, and here’s a summary. David Gritten at The Telegraph said: “Awards should be coming Streep’s way; yet her brilliance rather overshadows the film itself.” The Guardian Xan Brooks said Streep’s performance “is astonishing and all but flawless”. He added: “Yet Streep, it transpires, is the one great weapon of this often silly and suspect picture.” The Daily Mail also praised Streep’s portrayal. Critic Baz Bamigboye wrote: “Only an actress of Streep’s stature could possibly capture Thatcher’s essence and bring it to the screen. The film follows Baroness Thatcher from her early years breaking through class and gender barriers to become prime minister to her political downfall in 1990. The Thatcher era from 1979 to 1990, was a time of social and economic change for Britain. Elected following a period of widespread strikes, dubbed the winter of discontent, Lady Thatcher and her Conservative government embarked on tough reforms to tackle inflation and the trade unions. Her policies divided the country – seeing a boom in the service sector and home ownership but a decline in manufacturing and soaring unemployment.

Added the just unveiled UK poster for “The Iron Lady” as well as captures from the trailer to the gallery.

Lots of “Iron Lady” news today. This morning, Meryl and director Phyllida Lloyd attended a photocall in London to unveil the film’s poster and promote its January 2012 release. Lots of pictures have been added to the gallery.

This is the day we’ve all been waiting for all year, haven’t we? The UK theatrical trailer for “The Iron Lady” has been released today, offering more than just a glimpse of Meryl playing Britain’s first female Prime Minister. The full trailer has been added to the video archive.

In probably the first article that introduces her as “Left-wing star Meryl Streep”, the Daily Mail’s Baz Bamigboye has all the insight on the upcoming “The Iron Lady”: Many feared the worst when they heard Meryl Streep was to play Margaret Thatcher in a new film. Not only was Baroness Thatcher to be cast as a rather befuddled, elderly woman looking back on the triumphs and disappointments of her life, but Streep is also of a very different political hue from Maggie. It was commonly agreed that our greatest Prime Minister since Churchill would be vilified. Such fears are misplaced. Having just seen the film in a London preview before its release in January, and then having spoken at length to Meryl Streep about her role in The Iron Lady, I can state categorically that the doomsayers were wrong. Streep’s portrayal will, I have no doubt, come to be seen as magnificent portrait of Lady Thatcher. And when I spoke exclusively to the double Oscar-winning actress about playing her, she declared herself to be in ‘awe’ of Lady T, adding that this was the biggest role she had undertaken in her career. ‘It took a lot out of me, but it was a privilege to play her, it really was,’ she told me. ‘It was one of those rare, rare films where I was grateful to be an actor and grateful for the privilege of being able to look at a life deeply with empathy. There’s no greater joy.’ The 62-year-old star, who was in London to see the completed film, explained how she admired Thatcher’s willingness to stand and be leader, a decision which meant she had to offer her life, and her family’s, ‘on an altar’ to the public good. The complete article can be read here.

Article courtesy Variety: Awards speculation is a given when two-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep is front and center of a prestige project, and with her tackling formidable British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, topping this movie’s potential kudos pyramid will likely be the celebrated thesp’s 17th Oscar nomination. If the movie scores as a portrait of parliamentary power and female resolve against a longstanding political boys’ club, look for supporting nods as well for previous nominee Jim Broadbent (“Iris”) as husband Denis, and possibly Anthony Head as Thatcher’s deputy prime minister Geoffrey Howe.

The hottest name outside of Streep could be U.K. scribe Abi Morgan (original screenplay), who is also getting attention from the Steve McQueen-directed awards hopeful “Shame,” which she co-penned. Director Phyllida Lloyd, meanwhile, is coming off the musical fluffball “Mamma Mia!” — the kind of Streep vehicle that doesn’t get nominations – so entering the directors’ circle will be an uphill battle unless the film is both a critical and box office hit, the way previously recognized U.K. biopics (and Academy fodder) “The Queen” and “The King’s Speech” were for Stephen Frears and Tom Hooper, respectively. On the tech side, “The Queen” costume design nominee Consalata Boyle is a factor, while the talented “Twilight” d.p. Elliot Davis could be on board for his first cinematography nomination.

And another new production still from “The Iron Lady” courtesy the New York Times’ Holiday Movies preview. Thanks to Ari for the heads-up!

Variety has posted an article on the current films vying for Oscar glory that are based on real events or real people, including, of course, “The Iron Lady”. In the case of some films this year, they know the subjects – and don’t like them. That’s a problem shared by “The Iron Lady,” helmer Phyllida Lloyd’s story of Margaret Thatcher starring Meryl Streep, and “J. Edgar,” Clint Eastwood’s film about longtime FBI honcho J. Edgar Hoover, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Both have addressed the problem of long, politically charged lives by focusing on only a part of the story, and – in the case of “Iron Lady” – telling the tale from its subject’s p.o.v. “This story is not an objective biopic,” Lloyd says of her film. “The story is all told from Margaret Thatcher’s point of view and it’s an imagined story of how it might it have felt to be the first female leader in the western world.” She and screenwriter Abi Morgan tried to be extremely rigorous about the facts “but necessarily, there’s some compression of time and one or two places where in order to make the story clear we’ve taken something out. “On the whole,” Lloyd says, “we’re not nervous about being shot down in flames for our facts. We might be for the imagined part of the story.”

News courtesy Deadline. Although many places list her Margaret Thatcher biopic, The Iron Lady as a Dec 16th release, The Weinstein Company has decided it is best to keep us waiting a little longer so the official opening date for the movie that co-stars Jim Broadbent and is directed by Phyllida Lloyd is now December 30th in a limited platform release with a wider break to come in January to cash in on those expected Golden Globe and Oscar nominations. At research screenings Streep reportedly got the highest test numbers Harvey Weinstein has ever seen. Between Meryl and Michelle playing Margaret and Marilyn , Harvey is holding a hot hand in this year’s Best Actress contest. Streep has also been announced as one of this year’s recipients of the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors which will be awarded on December 4th and air on CBS on December 27th, the same day Oscar nominating ballots are mailed. Timing is everything.

The Los Angeles Times features “The Iron Lady” in its 2011 Holiday Movie Sneak, with a brand new production still from the film. This biopic presents a portrait of Margaret Thatcher, the only woman to be prime minister of the United Kingdom. With Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Harry Lloyd and Alexandra Roach. Written by Abi Morgan. Directed by Phyllida Lloyd. Weinstein Co.