Shakespeare Alive!

Rating: 8/10 (26 December 1998)

A depiction of William Shakespeare during his early years with the Globe Theater is laudable enough. When you add the light-hearted, humorous Tom Stoppard script, the result is a near-masterpiece.
Although the film is wonderful, the casting of Joseph Fiennes as the Bard and Gwenyth Paltrow as his muse, Viola, may be suboptimal. Fiennes plays Will impeccably, but his brooding, serious-looking countenance seems less appropros for the greatest playwright than a wry, garrulous, or sly disposition. Likewise, Paltrow appears too staid and reserved for the role of a muse, who one might expect to be bright and cheery.
The film might also have benefitted from a more detailed presentation of theatrical production during the time of Shakespeare, and by further delineation of the genius of Shakespeare beyond the muse thesis, however speculative. Despite these minor faults, "Shakespeare in Love" is definitely one of the ten best films of '98.