Iris (2002)Movies

Movies from Film Forum, 02/21/02Three of last week's Oscar nominations for acting went to a film that had not even opened in wide release: Iris gained acknowledgement for Judi Dench (Best Actress), Jim Broadbent (Best Actor), and Kate Winslet (Best Supporting Actress). Now that it has arrived, critics are largely impressed.The film tells the story of Iris Murdoch (Dench), a beloved British novelist who published 12 acclaimed volumes and inspired many to a greater appreciation of intellectual freedom. Murdoch suffered severly late in life from Alzheimer's disease, but her devoted husband, Bayley (Broadbent), stayed with her through it all. The movie jumps back and forth from their courtship, during which Bayley struggled with Murdoch's promiscuity, to Murdoch's final days, as he strove to comfort...