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How good is Meryl Streep’s take on Margaret Thatcher?

We’re a long way from Streep’s inevitable Oscar nomination for her performance as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher — the film doesn’t even open until early next year — but it’s never too early to start grading her performance. Always the professional, Streep prepared for the role with a ton of research — she ...

By Robert Zeliger

Alex Bailey / Courtesy of Pathe Productions Ltd.

July 8, 2011, 3:04 PM

We're a long way from Streep's inevitable Oscar nomination for her performance as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher -- the film doesn't even open until early next year -- but it's never too early to start grading her performance. Always the professional, Streep prepared for the role with a ton of research -- she attended a session of parliament to get a sense of how the prime minister question time works and found "every bit of footage" on YouTube she could, according to the film's producer.

We’re a long way from Streep’s inevitable Oscar nomination for her performance as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher — the film doesn’t even open until early next year — but it’s never too early to start grading her performance. Always the professional, Streep prepared for the role with a ton of research — she attended a session of parliament to get a sense of how the prime minister question time works and found “every bit of footage” on YouTube she could, according to the film’s producer.

Yesterday, a slip of a teaser trailer was released online.

So how does she do? Granted, there’s only one line to judge, but Foreign Policy wanted to get an early jump on critiquing her. We contacted someone who knows Thatcher and has covered her for years — Peter Riddell, a former political commentator for the Times of London and the author of two books on Thatcher’s government.

Overall, Riddell says Streep is 85 percent there.

“If anything, she underplays Thatcher who was far more assertive and argumentative,” he told FP by email. “Also the girlish half-giggle after her comments is wrong. That is not Thatcher. Physically the resemblance is good.”

In terms of style, Riddell gives Streep a score of 80 percent.

All in all, not bad. Perhaps even more telling, Riddell says he can’t wait to see the film.

Robert Zeliger is News Editor of Foreign Policy.