A very satisfying Shakespeare Remake

Rating: Null/10 (9 August 1999)

I don't know who couldn't see the Taming of the Shrew (things I hate about you - ooh, odd rhyming parallel there) in this film, it's quite obviously there. Fair enough, the story is an absolute classic. The movie storyline does stick reasonably closely to Shakespeare's story, perhaps, in fact, a little too much in places to make the story mildly awkward. The characterisation, strangely enough for a teen-romance was well done. Heath Ledger did the best job at getting the audience (me at least) to feel his anguish. Julia Stiles also does a great job at being repulsive in the beginning but then growing to be really likeable, reminiscent of Christina Ricci in "The Opposite of Sex". Andrew Keegan did a brilliant job of just making you want to smack him! Like so many films now, there are these cunning little jokes and references that could be missed so easily, especially some of the Shakespearean references for example one of the lead character's surname being Verona. I was a little disappointed to see the film end at the Prom, surely that's going out of fashion now, though I was impressed with the audacity of the writers to attempt to show a teen-party in more detail than usual; not many films have a go at that. I shall end with possibly the most satisfying part of going to see this at a cinema and that was watching everybody leave as soon as the credits start. I'll admit I'm one of those who does like to watch the film to the very end, and what a treat I got doing so. Some of *the* funniest out-takes I've ever seen. I was literally in stitches with one of them. They also explain how no-one ever dances in time with the music in films. That was something I didn't know.
This is one of those films that you've probably seen before in some form or another but it's definitely worth seeing this one. Fully recommended.