Can you say. . . Hollywood?

Rating: 6/10 (16 August 1999)

I'm not going to break this down like the last guy did on a profound literary level, I'm simply going to give you my reactions to this film which unfortunatly has been so over-hyped in my ears. When I rented it last night, I forced myself to block out all the "It's a great film" comments I've heard from family and friends and made an attempt to simply enjoy it as a film (despite the Oscars as well). When I sat down to watch it, I found only Hollywood's interpretation of a love story, dressed with Hollywood make-up, and Hollywood music, all of which blowing this story far out of proportion.
Now don't get me wrong, Hollywood has produced many fine films, but Shakespeare in Love is simply too much of a motion-picture story, and not a real, story. It isn't a story that anyone can identify with on a personal level and that is what makes it hard to feel for the characters. It just so happens that I also saw the film "October Sky" yesterday, and although these two films can not be easily contrasted, October Sky tells a truly interesting story, without all the Hollywood dress-up. I'm not comparing these two, I'm simply saying that there are some good, simple stories out there, and then are large blow-out stories, solely aimed at winning the Oscar.