A Better Love Story Than Romeo and Juliet Itself...

Rating: Null/10 (1 April 1999)

England, 1589. A young playwright named Will Shakespeare is trying to start a new play. He is up on a "deadline" and rival playhouses are all over him to produce the work. It seems Will can only write about something personal to him, for instance, his latest muse. Romeo and Rosalind, he'll call it. No, Romeo and the Pirate's Daughter? Not a good title. Will doesn't know it, but an unknown, upper-class wannabe actor/actress up for a part in his unwritten play will be his Juliet. Shakespeare IN LOVE, John Madden's winner for best picture of 1998, presents this speculative story of a struggling literary giant with such originality and sensibility, it may surpass Mr. Shakespeare's own fable of forbidden love.
Joseph Fiennes IS Willie Shakespeare in a performance so strong and passionate, it is simply amazing how overlooked it was. The film is written so well, the words erupt from the actor's mouths much like Shakespeare's own plays do. Screenwriters Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard even address the long-time myth that Shakespeare was not the sole creator of the most famous literature ever written. Collaboration comes from suggestions in a pub, speakers in the street, and real-life experiences. Could it be that the Bard himself also took his own life experiences and filtered them into his own work? Maybe. It is certainly a practice universally performed by modern writers, authors, and poets. This is Shakespeare IN LOVE's premise and the love story portrayed is both eloquent and sensual.
Gwyneth Paltrow is the object of Will's affection and superb at recreating Elizabethan charm. You find yourself falling in love with her. "Romeo and Juliet" comes about through their experiences together. Fiennes even climbs a tree up to Paltrow's balcony, a great moment from the play. This is all juxtaposed with the play's rehearsal. These scenes are tender, but they also inspire laughter because of what we already know about the story of Romeo and Juliet. Geoffrey Rush provides some more comic relief in a screenplay with so much depth, it is a unique work of art. Each character is given enough screen time to make an impression on us. Even Dame Judi Dench's 8 minutes of Oscar-winning acting is a treat.
I've never seen Shakespeare himself portrayed. This is pure fiction, but Fiennes breathes life into the mysterious figure behind so many colossal texts. For Shakespeare illiterates, you can still enjoy the picture. Everyone speaks in prose, not poetry. A general knowledge of Romeo and Juliet would be helpful, however. The film looks and feels of the time, but a great love story of the 16th century is brought to life in 20th century cinematic fashion. Did it deserve the Best Picture award? No. SAVING PRIVATE RYAN did. No matter. It is a true wonder to watch.
RATING: 10 of 10