Shakespeare in Love
By Shaun
Everyone knows his name, the glamorous playwright, poet, and actor, this man I speak of is William Shakespeare. Set during the 1590s, in England there is depression, discontent, the theater's are being shut down, love is no longer sacred, Shakespeare's (Joseph Fiennes) plays are in a slope, and his dexterity is jammed with writer's block. In this funny enchanting romantic comedy Shakespeare In Love. A very original film, it presents to us a making of one of the greatest love stories of all time Romeo And Juliet, although the process to bring about this tale of forbidden love was difficult the result was worth the effort. The title started out as Romeo And Ethel The Pirate's Daughter, a little complex but so was the playwright's inspiration, a women he loves but she constantly cheats on him, well she basically is the town whore. This play is turned into a spectacle as such an ensemble collaboration of people have never been put together, the mob, actors, lords, and hoodlums.
Back then you death was as fast as a debt of a few pounds, and so Philip Heslow (Geoffrey Rush) quickly learnt as the film starts out with loan sharks torturing him and demanding back their money, the mob are lurid once they have found out how they will be repaid, Heslowe is a friend of Will and will pay them back by giving them the profits from the success of his upcoming play. The only problem is that Will has writers block and is real depressed, as he is watching another one of his miserable plays being performed one member from the audience sees him and is quite attracted to him with her lust for plays. Viola De Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow), believes that plays are a form of laughter and really show the true meaning of love, they have pizzazz and spark, she learns a lot from them, that is why she is so attracted to Will. Will pays no attention to her, but at this stage everyone to him is a nonentity, a broken heart and a blocked head is all he is left with. At the play the royal queen Elizabeth (Judi Dench) is there with a nonchalant face as the normal play proceeds, then there is a mistake in a scene and a dog goes out of control attacking the actor on stage, she bursts into laughter, only to have a glum face on as the play proceeds. When the auditions for Will's play begin he finds himself without talent (a hysterical scene), until Viola dressed as a man, comes and acts wonderfully, enough to get his attention. Back then women were forbidden to act in plays. He follows her to her mansion where there is a party taking place, and when he sees the real Viola his heart is hooked and the Romeo And Juliet is begun, this is a new aspiration for him as he begins to right the play. Help was given to Will at a bar from a local playwrighter, Marlowe (Rupert Everett), he just edges the plot. Another good actor comes into the scene, Ned Alleyn (Ben Affleck), he spices up the scenes with young hummer, and brings about the title Romeo And Juliet "just a suggestion," as he puts it.
As the play gets more serious so does the film, although it does not lose it's humor it allows some dramatical scenes to intervene, with intimacy and love. The dialogue is rich and original as is this film, it's also light and you will have fun. From the sword fights in the theater to the passion in the room, it makes you feel that you are contributing to the play, helping create it in a way.
GRADE: A -
Other Reviews:
Analyze This
The Rage: Carrie 2
EdTV
Forces of Nature
True Crime
The Corruptor
Rushmore
Payback
Gods & Monsters
Affliction