disappointment.

Rating: 5/10 (26 December 1998)

I had high hopes for this film, and overall I was let down. Although all the actors performed admirably, and the writing was jaunty, the overall fabric of the film was gauzy and torn with cliches. I would expect more from Stoppard after Rozencrantz and Guildernstern. If you've seen Romeo and Juliet, you've basically seen this movie. Considering R&J is my least favorite Shakespearean play, I'm not surprised that I didn't like it. Much of the plot centers around the juxtaposition of Shakespeare's "real life" as it influenced the writing of R&J.
The bright side of this film was the comedic element, which was refreshing and witty. However, it hardly could compensate for the triteness of the love story, in my opinion. Actually, Branaugh's A Midwinter's Tale was a much better film about the production of a Shakespearean piece (Hamlet), although it didn't star the Bard himself. Not to be a historical stickler (especially due to the fact that there is little hard biographical evidence about the life of Shakespeare) but the film also lost points with me for venturing so far into the realm of speculation and fiction.
Overall, I would recommend this film to anyone who is fond of Romeo and Juliet, or of "timeless love stories." People not familiar with Shakespeare (works or life) will be able to enjoy the witty humor and trotting pace of this film. Yet for the rest of us, it would be best to wait for two for one rental night.