Iris (2001 film)
| Iris | |
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 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Richard Eyre |
| Screenplay by |
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| Based on | Elegy for Iris by John Bayley |
| Produced by | |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Roger Pratt |
| Edited by | Martin Walsh |
| Music by | James Horner |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by |
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Release dates |
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Running time | 90 minutes[1] |
| Countries |
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| Language | English |
| Budget | $5.5 million |
| Box office | $16.2 million[2] |
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.[3] 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 on 14 December 2001, and was released theatrically in the United Kingdom on 18 January 2002, and the United States on 29 March 2002. It grossed $16.2 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 Academy Awards. The film also picked up nominations for Dench as Best Actress and Winslet for Best Supporting Actress.
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 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,[3] and becomes her caretaker, as his wife's mind deteriorates from the ravages of Alzheimer's disease.[4]
Cast[]
- Judi Dench as Iris Murdoch[3]
- Kate Winslet as young Iris[3]
- Jim Broadbent as John Bayley[3]
- Hugh Bonneville as young John[3]
- 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[]
Iris received positive reviews from critics, with a 79% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes from a sample of 110 critics, and an average rating of 7.09/10. The website's critical consensus states, "A solidly constructed drama, Iris is greatly elevated by the strength of its four lead performances."[5] The movie received a Metacritic score of 76 based on 30 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[6]
Awards and nominations[]
- Academy Awards
- Best Actress in a Leading Role: Judi Dench
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Jim Broadbent (won)
- Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Kate Winslet
| Academy Awards record | |
|---|---|
| 1. Best Supporting Actor | |
| BAFTA Awards record | |
| 1. Best Actress in a Leading Role | |
| Golden Globe Awards record | |
| 1. Best Supporting Actor | |
- BAFTA Awards
- Best British Film
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: Jim Broadbent
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role: Judi Dench (won)
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: Hugh Bonneville
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: Kate Winslet
- Best Screenplay - Adapted
- Broadcast Film Critics Association
- Best Supporting Actor - Jim Broadbent
- Golden Globe Awards
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama: Judi Dench
- Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture - Jim Broadbent (won)
- Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture: Kate Winslet
- Los Angeles Film Critics Association
- Best Supporting Actor: Jim Broadbent (also for Moulin Rouge!) (won)
- Best Supporting Actress: Kate Winslet (won)
- Satellite Awards
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama: Judi Dench
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, Drama: Jim Broadbent
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, Drama: Kate Winslet
- Screen Actors Guild Awards
- Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role: Judi Dench
- Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role: Jim Broadbent
References[]
- ^ "IRIS (15)". British Board of Film Classification. 13 December 2001. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
- ^ "Iris (2001)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. 17 May 2002. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f Peter Bradshaw (18 January 2002). "Iris". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
- ^ "Iris". TimeOut. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
- ^ "Iris (2001)". Rotten Tomatoes.
- ^ "Iris (2001)". Metacritic.
External links[]
- 2001 films
- English-language films
- American films
- British films
- 2000s English-language films
- 2001 romantic drama films
- American biographical drama films
- American romantic drama films
- British biographical drama films
- British romantic drama films
- Biographical films about philosophers
- Biographical films about writers
- Films scored by James Horner
- Films about Alzheimer's disease
- Films based on biographies
- Films featuring a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award-winning performance
- Films featuring a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe winning performance
- Films produced by Scott Rudin
- Films set in Oxford
- Films set in universities and colleges
- Films directed by Richard Eyre
- Films set in the University of Oxford
- Films shot in Oxfordshire
- Films shot at Pinewood Studios
- BBC Film films
- Films produced by Sydney Pollack
- BAFTA winners (films)