witty, romantic, and fabulous acting

Rating: 8/10 (5 January 1999)

although the writers of the film failed to realize that the colony of virginia had another 15 years to be found, i found this movie immensely enjoyable. besides this error, the script for this film was witty, romantic, and extremely clever. i have always been a fan of tom stoppard and hope to see him and his co-writer recognized for their effort this oscar season.
the best part of this movie, for me, was the phenomenal acting. i have never seen joseph fiennes before, but he impressed me beyond belief. he evokes the same intensity and charm of his older brother ralph, but he has a wonderful comic timing that is lacking in ralph (and this is an admission from a huge ralph fan!). geoffrey rush and judi dench are both huge treats in this movie...rush especially cracked me up. but i have to give the most credit to gwyneth paltrow. she is an actress that i used to pay no attention to, but she really outdid herself in this role and deserves all the accolades she receives. from a former non-fan, i now have the greatest respect for her.
overall, this is a lovely, whimisical romantic comedy that everyone should see. if you are a fan of shakespeare's, then you will definitely enjoy the many witty references to his plays.