A good movie...not a great movie

Rating: 7/10 (27 March 2000)

I was a little disappointed when I finally got to see this movie. As Best Picture of 1998, I expected better. Make no mistake, Shakespeare in Love is a good movie, but not as good as people would have you believe.
When you strip away the Elizabethan costumes and sets (which are excellent, by the way), all you have left is a typical Hollywood "roll in the hay" romance.
Gwyneth Paltrow (Best Actress) and Judi Dench (Best Supporting Actress) deservedly won Oscars for their performances. I found Joseph Fiennes as Shakespeare to be over the top and totally miscast.
Perhaps I am not a romantic, but I am still at a loss as to how this picture won the best picture Oscar over much better films, in my opinion, such as "Saving Private Ryan" or "Affliction"