Too clever by half, and far too aware of the fact

Rating: Null/10 (14 September 2002)

At least the first hour of "Shakespeare in Love" beats you over the head with its own wit. It is like listening to someone who actually IS funny, but who follows every punchline by nudging you in the ribs and saying "Get it! Get it! See, I'm alluding to this one Shakespeare play. Wasn't that a funny allusion? And you're SO smart for getting it!" The jokes are good, but too self-aware, too twee.
Once the characters start acting actual Shakespeare, the film gets much better.
I liked everything about it but the too-cute scripting at the beginning. The acting is fantastic, the jokes comparing 16th century English play producing to modern day Hollywood are funny, and the Renaissance atmosphere is perfect--the audience watching "Romeo and Juliet" is especially good.
Dame Judi Dench gives her usual flawless, many-layered performance, this time as Elizabeth I, and makes the movie even better.