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Iris (2001 film)

2001 biographical film directed by Richard Eyre


Summary

2001 biographical film directed by Richard Eyre

FieldValue
nameIris
imageIris poster.jpg
captionTheatrical release poster
directorRichard Eyre
producer{{Plainlist
based_on
screenplay{{Plainlist
starring{{Plainlist
musicJames Horner
cinematographyRoger Pratt
editingMartin Walsh
studio{{Plainlist
distributorMiramax Films (through Buena Vista International in the United Kingdom and Ireland)
released
runtime90 minutes
country{{Plainlist
languageEnglish
budget$5.5 million
gross$16.2 million
  • Robert Fox
  • Scott Rudin
  • Richard Eyre
  • Charles Wood
  • Judi Dench
  • Kate Winslet
  • Jim Broadbent
  • Hugh Bonneville
  • Miramax Films
  • BBC Films
  • Intermedia Films
  • Mirage Enterprises
  • Fox Iris Productions
  • United Kingdom
  • United States Iris is a 2001 biographical drama film about novelist Iris Murdoch and her relationship with her husband John Bayley. Directed by Richard Eyre from a screenplay he co-wrote with Charles Wood, the film is based on Bayley's 1999 memoir Elegy for Iris. Judi Dench and Jim Broadbent portray Murdoch and Bayley during the later stages of their marriage, while Kate Winslet and Hugh Bonneville appear as the couple in their younger years. The film 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. The beach scenes were filmed at Southwold in Suffolk, one of Murdoch's favourite haunts.

The film had its world premiere in Los Angeles on 14 December 2001, followed by a theatrical release in the United Kingdom on 18 January 2002 and in the United States on 29 March. It grossed $16 million on a $5.5 million budget and received positive reviews, with praise towards the performances. For his role as Bayley, Broadbent won Best Supporting Actor at the 74th Academy Awards, with Dench (Best Actress) and Winslet (Best Supporting Actress) also receiving nominations.

Plot

When the young Iris Murdoch meets fellow student John Bayley at Somerville College, Oxford, he is a naive virgin easily flummoxed by her libertine spirit, arch personality, and obvious artistic talent. Decades later, little has changed and the couple keep 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. He becomes her carer, as his wife's mind deteriorates from the ravages of Alzheimer's disease.

Cast

  • Judi Dench as Iris Murdoch
    • Kate Winslet as young Iris
  • Jim Broadbent as John Bayley
    • Hugh Bonneville as young John
  • Penelope Wilton as Janet Stone
    • Juliet Aubrey as young Janet
  • Timothy West as Maurice
    • Samuel West as young Maurice
  • Siobhan Hayes as Checkout girl
  • Kris Marshall as Dr Gudgeon

Reception

Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 79% of 110 critics gave the film a positive review, with an average rating of 7.1/10. The website's critical consensus states, "A solidly constructed drama, Iris is greatly elevated by the strength of its four lead performances." Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 76 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.

Awards and nominations

AwardCategoryRecipientResult
Academy AwardsBest ActressJudi Dench
Best Supporting ActorJim Broadbent
Best Supporting ActressKate Winslet
Awards Circuit Community AwardsBest Actor in a Supporting RoleJim Broadbent
Best Actress in a Supporting RoleKate Winslet
Berlin International Film FestivalGolden BearRichard Eyre
New Talent Award (Actor)Hugh Bonneville
British Academy Film AwardsOutstanding British FilmRobert Fox, Scott Rudin and Richard Eyre
Best Actor in a Leading RoleJim Broadbent
Best Actress in a Leading RoleJudi Dench
Best Actor in a Supporting RoleHugh Bonneville
Best Actress in a Supporting RoleKate Winslet
Best Adapted ScreenplayRichard Eyre and Charles Wood
Christopher AwardsFeature Film
Critics' Choice AwardsBest Supporting ActorJim Broadbent
European Film AwardsBest ActorHugh Bonneville
Jim Broadbent
Best ActressJudi Dench
Kate Winslet
Evening Standard British Film AwardsBest ActressKate Winslet (Also for Enigma and Quills)
Golden Globe AwardsBest Actress in a Motion Picture – DramaJudi Dench
Best Supporting Actor – Motion PictureJim Broadbent
Best Supporting Actress – Motion PictureKate Winslet
Golden Trailer AwardsBest Documentary Poster
Humanitas PrizeFeature Film CategoryRichard Eyre and Charles Wood
Las Vegas Film Critics Society AwardsBest ActressJudi Dench
Best Supporting ActressKate Winslet
London Film Critics Circle AwardsBritish Actress of the YearJudi Dench
Los Angeles Film Critics Association AwardsBest Supporting ActorJim Broadbent (Also for Moulin Rouge!)
Best Supporting ActressKate Winslet
Nastro d'ArgentoBest SongMoni Ovadia
National Board of Review AwardsBest Supporting ActorJim Broadbent (Also for Moulin Rouge!)
Special Recognition For Excellence In Filmmaking
New York Film Critics Circle AwardsBest ActorJim Broadbent
New York Film Critics Online AwardsBest ActressJudi Dench
Phoenix Film Critics Society AwardsBest Actress in a Leading Role
Best Actor in a Supporting RoleJim Broadbent
Russian Guild of Film Critics AwardsBest Foreign ActressJudi Dench
Satellite AwardsBest Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture – DramaJim Broadbent
Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture – DramaKate Winslet
Screen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading RoleJudi Dench
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting RoleJim Broadbent

References

References

  1. (13 December 2001). "''Iris'' (15)". [[British Board of Film Classification]].
  2. (17 May 2002). "Iris (2001)". [[IMDb]].
  3. Peter Bradshaw. (18 January 2002). "Iris".
  4. (10 September 2012). "Iris".
  5. "Iris (2001)".
  6. "Iris (2001)".
  7. "The 74th Academy Awards (2002) Nominees and Winners". AMPAS.
  8. "PRIZES & HONOURS 2002". berlinale.de.
  9. (2002). "BAFTA Awards: Film in 2002".
  10. (January 11, 2002). "The BFCA Critics' Choice Awards :: 2001". [[Critics Choice Association.
  11. "EFA Night 2002".
  12. "Iris – Golden Globes".
  13. "Past Winners & Nominees".
  14. (December 13, 2021). "1997 Sierra Award Winners".
  15. "The Annual 27th Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards".
  16. "2001 Award Winners".
  17. "2001 New York Film Critics Circle Awards".
  18. "NYFCO AWARDS 2001-2019".
  19. "International Press Academy website – 2002 6th Annual SATELLITE Awards".
  20. "The 8th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". [[Screen Actors Guild Award]]s.
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