Focuses on the intensely dramatic and high-stakes responsibilities and decisions that Golda Meir, also known as the ‘Iron Lady of Israel,’ faced during the Yom Kippur War.

Perhaps timelier than its filmmakers intended, ‘Golda’ is a biopic about Golda Meir, the 4th Prime Minister of Israel, and the Prime Minister who was in power the last time the Middle East flared up as much as it is threatening to at the moment. She is played by Helen Mirren under heavy make-up and prosthetics, and it follows her life with a specific focus on the Yom Kippur War which took place exactly 50 years ago this month.

It begins in October 1973 when Mossad receives intelligence indicating that neighbouring countries Egypt and Syria are planning to mount an attack. Initially dismissive, Meir quickly realises this is a genuine threat and she is thrust into the role of a wartime leader – not a position many individuals approach from a position of previous experience. This is an interesting period of time, not just because it provides additional background and context to events today, and ‘Golda’ is very interesting from a history documentary perspective, but as a drama in its own right I felt it struggled to elevate itself above simply retelling history. Helen Mirren’s performance at the heart of the film is good, as are some of the supporting performances with Liev Schreiber as Henry Kissinger a good foil and sounding board for Meir’s opinions on how to deal with the hand she’s been dealt.

‘Golda’ is a serviceable biopic about one of Israel’s most important leaders and as a history lesson it does its job, but given its subject matter I felt it failed to bring the tension and drama that the material warranted.

Rating: 3/5

Directed By: Guy Nattiv

Starring: Helen Mirren, Camille Cottin, Liev Schreiber, Rami Heuberger, Rotem Keinan, Emma Davies, Lior Ashkenazi, Dominic Mafham, Dvir Benedek, Ed Stoppard, Ohad Knoller and Jaime Ray Newman

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt14454876/