Review of Iron Jawed Angels (2004) by Cleo M — 12 Jun 2010

While there are some enjoyable and touching moments in the movie, especially towards the end, overall this movie seems to be a poor exercise in "modernizing" a true tale that is amazing enough in its own right that such is unnecessary.

Don't look to this film for historical accuracy, as there are plot twists and romance options thrown in that certainly never took place in reality. Nonetheless it is an interesting take on women's suffrage in the beginning of the 20th century.

The film seems to be going after the effect of 2006's "Marie Antoinette": that of injecting modern music and special effects into a period piece. In "Marie Antoinette," it adds a sense of frivolity and contemporaneity.

Unfortunately, the song choice was very poor in multiple parts of "Iron Jawed Angels," and instead of adding to the movie, they actually detract and distract--even offend, to those of us not inclined to listen to glaring hip hop and R&B.

Basically, this movie is worth watching if you have an interest in American history and/or the continuing fight for women's rights. However, it is only "based" on a true story, and certainly falls into the common pittrap of Hollywood: that of adding too much, for fear of offering too little.