Wonderful fun, especially for fellow Shakespeare obsessors

Rating: Null/10 (28 April 2000)

I still do not understand the backlash against this film winning Best Picture of 1998. In my eyes, in was certainly deserving of the nomination and win. (Though so many films that year were brilliant and deserving, Life is Beautiful, Elizabeth, etc.) What's especially wonderful about this film is it reaches a happy medium... it can appeal to both people absolutely obsessed with everything Shakespeare and those who run at the mention of the name. It doesn't close out those who do not know Shakespeare and the Elizbethan era up and down, but at the same time provides wonderful entertainment for Shakespeare fans to find all the "in-jokes" sprinkled throughout the film. This film is, at times, hilarious. Although I've always been confused at the labeling of this film as a "comedy." It's rather dramatic at times, and the final scenes are absolutely brilliant and do not go the "happy-go-lucky" route you'd expect. Everyone's performances in this film are brilliant but nothing "extra extraordinary", except for Judi Dench's performance. Her eight minutes on screen are certainly worth the price of admission! Judi Dench pulls off yet another brilliant performance, and this may be my favourite of hers. Eight minutes of Dench are more entertaining then two hours of many other actresses. This is actually one of the films where I really delight in the "bit players" just as much as the leads. 10 out of 10.