The Lady is a 2011 biopic film that depicts the inner struggles of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese democratic leader who tried to stand up for democracy for almost more than two decades despite being tied under numerous house arrests by the Military for more than a decade.
The film begins with Daw Suu's family life in Oxford before she goes back to Burma to care for her sick mother. During her visit, she witness the violence of the Burmese Military Tatmadaw and is drawn to the movement to promote reform. She decides to stay and lead the people for democracy and human rights. Despite clearly winning the majority in the 1990 elections, she is charged under house arrest. Meanwhile, her husband and her two boys, who are British and are not granted visas to visit Daw Suu, endlessly seek ways to promote international recognition of Burma's political situation in an attempt to secure her safety. This leads to Daw Suu's Nobel Peace Prize award in 1991, which was accepted by her elder son on her behalf. The film climaxes when Daw Suu's husband is diagnosed with cancer and only has months to live. Daw Suu is given the option of leaving back to England to see her husband one last time or to stay and continue to fight for democratic freedom, to which she says, "That is not freedom", and chooses to stay for her nation. The film ends with an extremely emotional blessing of Buddhist monks who marched to Daw Suu's house in support of human rights in 2007.
While many, including me, would think the film narrates many aspects of the Burmese political atmosphere, the film actually centres mainly on the life of Daw Suu and less on the Military. More specifically, it emphasises on how she gave everything -- her husband, her sons, her life in the UK -- up for her corrupted nation. She is the inspiration that her people need and she chooses to continue the legacy being her father's daughter as the head of a non-violent movement for democracy.
The incredible performances of the cast drove the film forward. Michelle Yeoh brings Daw Suu's character and personality to life by portraying the real Daw Suu so beautifully. It makes me feel as if I really do know the real Daw Suu, an extremely determined, moral, and inspirational figure. She was so great that I expected her to receive an Oscar Nomination. David Thewlis' portrayal of Daw Suu's worried but supportive husband is solid as well. In essence, it was Yeoh and Thewlis' performances that made the film extremely personal and emotional.
The cinematography of the film was relatively simple but effective. The exotic beauty of Rangoon and the coldness of Oxford was well balanced, presenting a contrasting irony where the natural beauty of Rangoon is stamped on by the political chaos while the coldness of Oxford is where familial warmth is. Being a biopic, the camera tends to follow characters upclose and around, providing that intimate setting, as well as allowing viewers to 'feel' and understand the characters. The speeches of that Daw Suu gives were shot with grandeur, greatly emphasizing how one person manages to inspire a crowd of millions with her warmth, her determination, and her moral belief.
Another notable aspect of the film was the music score. It provided so much to the film in terms of Daw Ang's emotions, warmth, and inspiration. One of the best film scores out there in my opinion.
To sum it up, The Lady is an amazingly beautiful film that drew me in every second of the 120+ minutes runtime and justly portrays the inspirational Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
