Extraordinary film, joyous, life affirming

Rating: 10/10 (3 January 1999)

The best film of the year, hands down. An excellent script, full of humor, romance, swordfights, and pathos, mirroring the structure of Shakespeare's own work. But this is not an esoteric exploration of the world's greatest writer -- it is a funny, life-affirming, love-affirming movie about some very interesting people facing very interesting problems. Great performances from Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes, Geoffrey Rush, and especially Judi Dench make this film the do-not-miss of the season.