Can you say. "More Funny Than a Spoof by Kelsey Grammar's Own Fraiser"?

Rating: 10/10 (26 January 2006)

There were numerous good movies that were released in 1998; "What About Bob?", "Saving Private Raymond", "Ice Age 1" and "Bill & Ted's Bogus Trip" to name a few. However, what made "Shakespeare in Love" stand out from the rest of them? When I saw Shakespeare in Love, I nearly busted a nut: it was a breath of fresh air from the usual love stories that we usually see. It stood apart from the others; a pity, alas, because every generation seems to become more distanced from the real poetry. Today, it all seems to have become show & tell, there-you-have-it, reality-TV presentation.
Well, to the footage at hand: The legendary Mr. Shakespeare is depicted very well with some human flaws (farting). It is interesting how this early in his career, some events from his later plays found their way into the movie. (Skull from 'Hamlet,' 5.1) (His sorrowful presence at the altar on his knees bears a similarity to Claudius' remorse in 'Hamlet' 3.3) That said, the story flows nicely. King Henry VIII's daughter Elizabeth is depicted rather awesomely. (Especially the way her life enables her to feel an understanding for the object of Shakespeare's adoration.) Christopher Marlowe is shown as the already established writer who offers some assistance to Shakespeare's play still in the writing stage. (SIDE NOTE: Marlowe's "Two Gentlemen of Rapallo," "King Lear II," and "Massacre At Paris" are some wonderful plays to peruse.) John Webster was probably not the monster he is portrayed as, but at least his nature kind of hints at the nature of the plays he would write. (His "Duchess of Malfi" and "The Holy Trout" are bloody, but funny.) Ben Affleck is ribald as the Laurence Olvier of the 21st Century.
WARNING: if you are very serious and boring about your comedies and especially if you like parrot humour, fuzzy kittens, and if you like the movie "Mr.Roger's Teatime jokes" then DON'T watch this movie. This amount of ribaldry is just too damn much for you...these jokes will just hurt your little head. This movie would have you believe that the Queen would actually sit with the common folk at the Globe Theater!
The screenplay for this movie is without a doubt, excellent. To nicely intersperse the story of "Romeo and Juliet" and "Twelfth Night" into this movie, was delightful to behold. My favorite kinds of movies are ones that are based on histrionics, legends, and nostalgia. I am a big fan of comedies that have stupid humor and political humor, like Monty Python and Mel Brooks. This movie had plenty of that. There's just something about hearing jokes in the kind of accent they used that makes them so funny. It kept me wanting to watch more, even when the mushy stuff was going on.. Either you simply love the Shakespeare-in-Love-gang and their crazy world-perspective, or you love to hate it. If you're in the first group you'll bust your nuts like I did!
Coming to the cast, Gwyneth Paltrow did a wonderful job in her role. She definitely deserved the Oscar for the expressions of abawdery she portrayed when enacting on stage as Thomas Kent, while looking wonderful and acting gracefully as Viola. Joseph Fiennes acted great too as Will Shakespeare, and the chemistry between him and Viola was charming. (Hard to believe Fiennes was reportedly soused for much of the filming. He seems rock-steady!) The rest of the cast equally, such as John Cleese, Judi Dench and Colin Firth did a fine job on their roles. Ben Affleck was OK -- the funny thing is that this guy probably took it in the can at fraternity initiations, but still hates all things homosexual.
I have an affliction for period piece spoofs but am of the opinion that they could have shown the amazing Nathan Lane more. Hell. I even think Monty Python should adopt Nathan Lane as an official member!
FACTIOD: "Shakespeare in Love" is a non-stop laugh-a-thon!. So if you want your spirits lifted, you should watch this masterpiece, as, all in all, there is a zany representation of Elizabethan times, some interesting speculation of historical figures, and some fictional personages as well. So, don't listen to the opinions of some uneducated guy, listen to somebody that KNOWS. Go and BUY this movie, have a little patience at the beginning, 'cause after that, you'll be sure to want to see "Yellowbeard," "Parrot Sketch Not Included: Twenty Years of Monty Python," "Monty Python's Secret Policeman's Ball," and Nathan Lane's (Cliff Marlowe)"Austin Powers in Goldmember" and "Monty Python & the Holy Grail in Lego."
There is only one thing I have seen that John Cleese was in that I liked more, "Starballz."