#100 - Movie Mini-Review - Shakespeare In Love

Truth! Beauty! Freedom! Love! Gwyneth Paltrow's Tits! What more could you want from a movie? Actually not much.

Finally got around to Shakespeare In Love, which I admit most people saw in 1998, but hey that's why I have this freaking list. And this one is a two-fer. It knocks off a Netflix, and Paltrow won Best Actress (#93) for playing a woman who plays a man in order to get a part on the Elizabethian stage. She falls in love with the playwright, William Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) and he with her. Their relationship becomes the basis for the future Bard's new play - Romeo and Ethel the Pirate's Daughter which, along the way, morphs into Romeo and Juliet.

There is a lot to like about this movie although it is a bit lightweight. Paltrow is good, perhaps not Oscar-worthy but I haven't seen all her competition so I can't comment. Lots of cute little Shakespeare references, and how playwrights get inspiration from everyday life. The best thing about Shakespeare In Love is the supporting cast, including Geoffrey Rush (nominated Best Supporting) as the theatre owner, Judi Dench (winner Best Supporting) as Queen Elizabeth, Colin Firth as the evil guy, and Ben Affleck as the attempting English accent guy. Slightly kidding. Couple good dueling scenes, well done love scenes, witty remarks. Paltrow's apples before she had Apple. But even if you rent the CleanFlicks version, it is worth a watch.

Bottom line: Based on supporting cast and cute premise, Shakespeare In Love gets 3.5 TKs out of 5.

Favorite quote (from Wikipedia): The film makes no pretence at historical accuracy.

Favorite quote (from movie):
Philip Henslowe (Rush): Mr. Fennyman, allow me to explain about the theatre business. The natural condition is one of insurmountable obstacles on the road to imminent disaster.
Hugh Fennyman (The patron - Tom Wilkinson ): So what do we do?
Philip Henslowe: Nothing. Strangely enough, it all turns out well.
Hugh Fennyman: How?
Philip Henslowe: I don't know. It's a mystery.