Shakespeare's demise only matches our own!

Rating: 7/10 (12 May 1999)

Mmmm........ this movie has an exceptional but short and dramatic performance from Judi Dench. Certainly the script was more worked out than Saving Private Ryan. However this movie falls way short of the inventiveness of La vita E Bella (Life is Beautiful) in every department apart from best female actress which should have gone to Cate in Elizabeth. Though the script of this movie was witty in parts, they are not in the same league of humour that is provided by Roberto in Life is Beautiful. The little boy should have won best supporting actor! Imagine trying to do a plot out of the holocaust which is also a comedy, far more complex that dry humour. In fact, Shakespeare in Love will probably give the wrong view of the great writer to a much younger generation (as there is no one view of Shakespeare). In addition, this movie shows that propaganda through marketing can win a film company an oscar. The company should have advertised La Vita E Bella, instead of this almost average movie. Name any other movie that can make you laugh and cry at the same time, this movie can't do either - Roberto can do it with ease. The romance (it should be called LUST) elements in Shakespeare in Love were rubbish and modernised to 1990's ideologies with sodomistic sex scenes without purpose, drama and lacking romance (something that Titanic suffered from as well). If you want to know about romance and the human spirit watch Life is Beautiful and understand that romance is about giving it in the good times and the bad and the willingness to stick with one partner. Rating 6/10