Not bad, but woefully overrated.

Rating: 6/10 (19 April 1999)

This is "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead" for people who don't know Shakespeare. This is not Stoppard in peak form, but rather Stoppard needing to make a quick buck. It's clever, true, and fun to watch, but ultimately predictable and ponderous, and nowhere near as good as "A Simple Plan" or "Life is Beautiful", two films that *definitely* deserved the Best Picture more than this film.
Paltrow's a talented actress, but her Academy Award for this particular film is a joke. Sheeze, show a little skin and look constipated (apparently, this is what passes for a look of emotional anguish in this film), and your career is guaranteed. Her performance in Seven was a thousand times better, and as was as underrated as her performance in "Shakespeare in Love" was OVERrated.
Still, worth a watching. It's not bad -- quite witty in places -- and Dench absolutely steals the show.
But still, do yourself a favor. See "A Simple Plan" or "Life is Beautiful" first. Heck, for that matter, see "The Matrix" before you see this.