I liked it. One HUGE quibble, tho...

Rating: Null/10 (5 April 1999)

Biased or not, I came out of the theatre feeling satisfied, but only such that can come from a calamari appetizer.
The movie did not come from the greatest script. In fact, most if it was either derived from Shakespeare's own noggin, or taken directly out of his tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. It's an irony to find the peak moment of the movie to be the presentation of the play itself; the most unoriginal portion of the movie. Shakespeare's mellifluous words poured from the actors' lips with such craft that I dared wonder why they did not just do a better remake of Romeo and Juliet instead. In all fairness, the script had its clever moments, even with the borrowed creativity. Will's impersonation of Banquo's ghost was brilliance unexpected.
(I do wonder, tho, whether the back story of the writer and actor's plight promoted some bias to the academy's judges. Not a bad point, mind you, just a theory =))
My biggest rant, and it is quite big, aims at the way love was told in this story. It seems to me that the producers wanted to give the audience what they wanted, not what they needed. Love is good, and the fruits of such love should be just as wonderful. Hurrah for Will that his muse could inspire such beautiful words from him. Right?
Has anyone forgotten about Mrs. Shakespeare? It disgusted me to see her portrayed as a hindrance! It doesn't surprise me anymore why people nowadays are so divorce-happy. And can one really attest that it was true love that brought Will and Viola together? I don't know, but the incessant sex with accompanied verse gave me an impression that these are just two souls who get a libido when reciting poetry.
All in all, a good movie. But let's not cater to the masses' cravings for a few more pennies in the piggy bank next time. Please?