Excellent, witty look at Shakesperean England

Rating: Null/10 (5 January 1999)

Occasionally there are movies which inspire not only by their acting but also by their ingenious story and witty writing. Such a movie is "Shakespeare in Love", now out in limited release (you can check it out at smaller art houses, but arrive early to find a seat as every performance is selling out).
The movie, written by Tom Stoppard and Marc Norman and Directed by John Madden (amazing what he can do when he isn't commentating on football games :), has probably the wittiest dialogue and most original premise that I've seen in years: What would happen if Will were a struggling playwright with writer's block, who needs the inspiration of a muse to finish his first big play, tentatively titled "Romeo and Ethel, the Pirates Daughter"? Enter lovely Gwyneth Paltrow as a poetry-struck noblewoman who yearns for the stage; she disguises herself as a boy to act in the new production, only to fall for the young poet himself. But then, she has been engaged in a marriage of convenience to the well-titled but lightly-monied Lord Wessex, and the game is an-on. What follows is a fascinating play of words, funny situations made more funny by their similarity to modern times (check out the waiter giving out the "daily special" at the restaurant - a scream), full-egoed actors fighting for better parts, producers just trying to keep the show going, and intricate Shakespearean changes of scene. The writers and Director are to be commended for blending the best of the Bard's comedies and making them appealing and understandable to modern audiences. You'll have to watch this flick more than once to catch all the little Elizabethan in-jokes.
The performances are good, with a great cast. Joseph Fiennes (Ralph's little brother) puts in a good performance as the lovestruck poet, and Gwyneth Paltrow plays the muse beautifully (of course she could play anything 'beautifully' ;), then again, after "Emma", if she played dead it would be an improvement. But the real treat is in the supporting cast, Geoffrey Rush as the producer who believes it all works out in the nick of time by a miracle, Dame Judi Dench as the stern yet human Elizabeth Regina, Ben Affleck as an Elizabethan Tom Cruise with a cruiseship size ego.
My only criticism: although like most good stories the ending is eventually foretellable, it drags a bit. Of course, considering that the writers were taking on one of the finest writers of all times, someone who understood that after standing for two or three hours the audience wanted a good, strong, quick resolution, the ending is fine, but not up to old Will's standards. Nevertheless, Joecool recommends this movie, a flick not to be missed. This is what one gets into the business for.