Clever, witty, delightful, but Best Picture of the year?

Rating: 7/10 (20 September 1999)

I had a wonderful time watching this. It was very funny and witty, and often quite clever. Gweneth Platrow was okay. Joseph Fiennes was very good as the impassioned Shakespeare. Both have marvelous chemistry. Very funny support from Geoffrey Rush, and Judi Dench was good, too. Though I haven't seen any of the other nominees for Best Picure (Saving Private Ryan, Elizabeth, Life is Beautiful, etc.) I really wonder why this won. It was very light, not deep at all. Aren't Oscars supposed to be for great artistic acheievement? Nothing of the kind here. Oh, well, it was still good but not the greatest film of the year.