GOLDA -- A Fascinating Story About a Great Leader

Review by Dan Skip Allen

Caption: Helen Mirren in Bleecker Street/ShivHans Pictures' GOLDA. Credit: Sean Gleason, Courtesy of Bleecker Street/ShivHans Pictures.

In the ‘70s, the U.S. was so blinded by Watergate and the Vietnam War that many Americans did not see the other crises happening around the world. At the same time in the Middle East, a burgeoning war was about to break out from Egypt and Syria attacking Israel, which caused its leader at the time, Golda Meir, to reciprocate on behalf of her country. Golda is that story that many Americans may not know about. 

Golda Meir (Helen Mirren) is the Prime Minister of Israel in the 1970s. While under her watch as caretaker of her country, it was attacked on the sacred day Yom Kippur in 1973. She had to overcome the damage and loss of life, and still lead her country. With the help of her trusted military leaders, generals, and such, she tried to defend her country and fight back against these two countries who want their so-called land back. 

The movie, which more or less captures a moment in time, used a lot of technical aspects to help tell its story. In the opening credits, dates, news broadcasts, and newspapers were used to depict what was going on at this time. Later, archive footage and flashbacks were used to show Meir’s past and motivations for why she's doing what she's doing in the present, which is mainly in 1973. The viewer can learn a lot from all this information shared in these various ways.

Helen Mirren’s filmography is vast and varied. She played the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II, for which she won an Academy Award for Best Actress, the mother of Owen and Deckard Shaw in the Fast and Furious franchise, and everything in between. She has had a vast career under her belt. Her portrayal of Golda Meir is one of the best of her career, though. She all but disappeared into this character. She has a lot of difficult dialogue, and she uses an accent to become this woman who was trying to save her country. She may have another Oscar run in her future. 

Caption: Helen Mirren and Liev Schreiber in Bleecker Street/ShivHans Pictures' GOLDA. Credit: Jasper Wolf, Courtesy of Bleecker Street/ShivHans Pictures.

The film uses a framing device as its main form of telling its story. Meir went to a special committee hearing, where they asked specific questions about all the decisions that went into what happened in Israel during these difficult times of war. This framing device served a great purpose in the story. 

As this is a period piece set in the ‘70s, there must be a realistic look and feel to the film regarding these years in history. As mentioned, Mirren disappears into Meir, and she isn't the only one who looks amazing in her role. Liev Schreiber plays Henry Kissinger, the Secretary of State, and other men and women are dressed and look the part of people during this time. The hair and makeup departments were on point. As well as the production design, all the various rooms and places depicted looked amazing. The period look of the movie was terrific all the way around.

Golda is about someone I hadn't known before watching this film. This was a fascinating story about a woman in a difficult position. She had to make tough decisions regarding her people. Mirren knocked this role out of the park. She may have a chance at another Academy Award nomination. The below-the-line departments brought me completely into this time and place in history. This is an interesting history lesson about Israel and the Middle East.

Golda hits theaters on August 24.

​Rating: 3.5/5