The Lady Review

The Lady

Cast: Michelle Yeoh, David Thewlis, Jonathan Raggett
Director: Luc Besson
Genre: Drama, Biography
Rated: MA
Running Time: 127 minutes

Synopsis: The Lady is the extraordinary story of Aung San Suu Kyi and her husband, Michael Aris.

It is also the epic story of the peaceful quest of the woman who is at the core of Burma's democracy movement.

Despite distance, long separations, and a dangerously hostile regime, their love endures until the very end. A story of devotion and human understanding set against a backdrop of political turmoil that continues today. The Lady was written over a period of three years by Rebecca Frayn. Interviews with key figures in Aung San Suu Kyi's entourage enabled her to reconstruct for the first time the true story of Burma's national heroine.

Verdict: The film depicts the true story of Aung San Suu Kyi (Michelle Yeoh), who is a member of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in Burma. The film begins in 1947 in Rangoon, Burma when her father, Aung San, a General in the Burmese army is killed by political rivals. From this emotional beginning comes a touching film depicting Aung San Suu Kyi's difficult balance between her personal and political life.

When in 1988 Aung San decides to return to Rangoon to visit her unwell mother she is approached by a number of people asking her to aid them in creating a democratic party in Burma. Aung San Suu Kyi suddenly then finds herself thrust into a political role that she did not ask for.

While fighting for Burma's political freedom from a dictating military Aung San Suu Kyi is often forced to decide between her country and her loving foreign family. Her Husband, Dr. Michael Aris, (David Thewlis) and her two children Kim (Johnathon Raggett) and Alexander Aris (Johnathon Woodhouse) are British and are forced to spend long periods of time, often years between seeing Aung San, while she is held under house arrest in Burma for the majority of the film.

Aung San's role, played by Michelle Yeoh, is acted beautifully and the film is very touching. As you follow her story, every heart break she endures you share with her. This film is a great first step to learning the story of Aung San Suu Kyi and her essential role in the Democratic Party on Burma.
Rating: ****1/2

-Fiona Tew

Release Date: April 19th, 2012