Directed by:
John MaddenCinematography:
Richard GreatrexComposer:
Stephen WarbeckCast:
Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes, Geoffrey Rush, Colin Firth, Ben Affleck, Judi Dench, Simon Callow, Jim Carter, Martin Clunes, Antony Sher, Imelda Staunton (more)VOD (5)
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In late 16th Century London, the theatre's most promising young playwright, Will Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes), is suffering from writer's block. Rose Theatre owner Philip Henslowe (Geoffrey Rush) is desperate that Will's new play - tentatively entitled Romeo and Ethel the Pirate's Daughter - be finished, whilst a new cast member, Thomas Kent, is equally eager to make his stage debut. Kent has a secret however: 'he' is actually Viola De Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow), merchant's daughter and fiancé of Lord Wessex (Colin Firth). Adopting a disguise to enter a trade forbidden to women, matters become complicated when Will falls for her in her more conventional garb. It may take the intervention of Queen Elizabeth (Judi Dench) herself to make sure the course of true love runs smoothly and that the show goes on. (Universal Pictures UK)
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Reviews (8)
An excellent comedy, the quality of which was mainly due to the excellent script by Tom Stoppard and Marc Norman, who cleverly work with ambiguity in the life of the greatest playwright of all time. If you know a little about the background of Shakespeare's life (at least enough), you will enjoy some of the jokes and gags a lot more, and if you also know the principles of Elizabethan theatre, this is doubly true. However, if you are a starter in this field, you still have the opportunity to enjoy a nice love story that reached out to Romeo and Juliet for its inspiration and benefits from the power of this play in the final scenes. Had it not been for this, the ending might have felt terribly sugary, but in William’s days the so-called "Hollywood pathos" was fortunately unknown. It is also worth mentioning the acting performances of Paltrow and Fiennes, which are convincing in both the "theatre" and in the "film itself". And then, surprisingly, Ben Affleck's Ned Alleyn, whose performance as Mercutio (basically this character also moves into the character of Ned himself) is, in a word, famous. A pleasant spectacle with an informative touch.
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Some reviews a very difficult to do. How can I rate a movie that I sat down to watch three times and managed to fall asleep all three times? Most likely with a Boo! rating, but this critically acclaimed romantic comedy certainly doesn't deserve that. As an apology to the filmmakers and to myself, I must add that I used the film as a backdrop for a romantic evening, and because I have a great partner, the esteemed screenwriter and director can try their best... However, this also means that Madden's film is not sufficiently attractive for me to attempt to watch it again. It lacked the appropriate momentum and the Shakespearean language was somewhat bothersome. Overall impression: 45%.
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If I want to praise this film (and I do), I have to start with the actors. The cast is so stellar and well-chosen that the director had it very easy in the end. Fiennes is excellent and does not stand in the shade of his brother, Rush is brilliant as always, Gwyneth Paltrow is beautiful and natural, and Judi Dench is amazing, and I could go on like this for a long time. But praise must also be given to Madden's direction, which lets the story flow beautifully, perfectly blurring the distinction between theatre and film. And then there's the excellent script refreshed with pleasant humour and beautiful dialogues, romantic atmosphere, costumes and typical English charm. If I were by nature a fan of Shakespearean literature and theatre, this film would have scored much higher than a "measly" 85%.
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I have finally seen the much lauded and seven(!) Academy Award-winning Shakespeare in Love and I have to say that I understand the enthusiasm and reviews the film has received. Even if it never becomes a favourite of mine, this film still has a lot going for it. The cast is perfect, especially Judi Dench (I can understand Oscar for the few scenes she was in), Geoffrey Rush and Gwyneth Paltrow ... but the rest of the were good as well. Then, of course, there's the story itself, blending fact with fiction, resulting in a film that's fun to watch; there's romance, tragedy and humour, just like Shakespeare himself. In short, a film that is one big (theatrical) drama, in which comedy and tragedy alternate - it doesn't take place on stage all the time, but the rest is spot on.
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It took me a long time to come to terms with this view of Elizabethan theater, but so be it. The ethereal Gwyneth Paltrow is really lovely here, and one really does at least get some idea that there were other theaters than the Globe and other playwrights than Wilda. And maybe I'll finally get around to reading "Twelfth Night, or What You Will."
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