Would've rated it higher, but...

Rating: 7/10 (28 August 1999)

Shakespeare In Love...hmmm...I'm a little torn about this film. On the one hand, I found it to be charming, and full of clever dialogue. The script was impeccable; full of wit. On the other hand, while some seemed to be enchanted with Gwyneth Paltrow's performance, I'm afraid it left me cold. The character was written well, but Paltrow was...well, bland. I never felt a connection with her Viola; she seemed flat and stiff to me. Throughout the film, I kept thinking, "I'll bet so-and-so would've been such a great Viola." I gave Shakespeare In Love a 7 out of 10; this would've been higher if someone else (maybe Sarah Polley or Reese Witherspoon) had portrayed Viola.