Bitter disappointment

Rating: 5/10 (19 February 1999)

Having scoured the movie press for their enlightened opinions I thought I would see what all the fuss was about... not very much quite frankly, certainly nothing to warrant an Oscar nomination. The script, though romantic in notion, failed to raise the faintest of smiles (and I'm from England so I 'get' the English humour). The performances of the lead players was in my mind rather ordinary, (Tom Wilkinson had by far the best lines) and I left fearing critics alike had - rather predictably - gotten caught up with the bardwagon.
Having shared my views with others I'm tired of hearing 'oh but you must have missed the clever references to some of Shakespeare's finest works..' Come now, if I wanted to breathe Shakespeare I would read the books - not be subjected to the second rate production that was 'Shakespeare in Love'.