Hollywood -- and for that matter, most moviegoers -- love the "what if" scenario. Often associated with big budget "summer" movies, it's the one sentence description that gets screenplays quickly sold and studio executives all excited.
Coming in the form of a question, they've been known to ask, "What if someone found dinosaur DNA and then cloned real-life dinosaurs?" and "What if a teen traveled back in time and accidentally caused his future parents not to romantically fall for each other?"
More often than not, however, "what if" scenarios are rarely used (in that sort of context) when describing historical period pieces that are often stuffy, chronological examinations of noteworthy people found in history books.
Well, there's always an exception to the rule and it now comes in the form of "Shakespeare in Love." A delightful romantic comedy that plays off the idea of "What if Shakespeare had writer's block," the film also heavily utilizes the notion every writer has heard in his or her life, "Write what you know."
As it comically suggests that the most revered writer in English literature had such blockage, and then went on to base his tragedy, "Romeo and Juliet" -- formerly known as "Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's daughter" -- on his real life experiences, the film unfolds at a fast-paced, funny and decidedly intelligent clip.
That's not to say that one needs to be a Shakespearean expert to enjoy the film -- although a working knowledge certainly won't hurt and will let viewers in on some of the "inside" jokes -- or that the mainstream audience will have to sit through hours of iambic pentameter (you won't).
In fact, director John Madden (who also directed last year's wonderful "Mrs. Brown") and screenwriters Marc Norman ("Cutthroat Island") and Tom Stoppard ("Empire of the Sun" and playwright of "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead") have smartly fashioned the work much like Shakespeare did his plays. With the fabulous story simultaneously working on many different levels, the audience can enjoy the proceedings whether they have a Ph.D. in English literature or only know that Shakespeare was some guy they studied in high school.
From the "Tootsie" like gender bender material to the water taxi "drivers" -- who've been hilariously fashioned after typical modern day cabbies -- and much more, there's plenty of comedic material present to entertain everyone who sees this film. For those with a working knowledge -- or more -- of Shakespeare and his works, there's also plenty of clever and humorous references to some of the Bard's plays.
Beyond the clever script and Madden's skillful direction -- with perfectly timed and balanced comedic and romantic elements occurring throughout the production -- it's the great cast (that many a film would simply die for) and their perfect performances that will put this film on most critics (and many moviegoers) top ten lists.
Gwyneth Paltrow ("A Perfect Murder," "Emma") is perfectly cast as the young woman who wants poetry, adventure and, most importantly, love in her life. Always believable, Paltrow now appears to be one of the few actresses who can carry off both contemporary and period roles with no apparent difficulty.
Also having no difficulty -- but this time for stepping out from under his more famous brother's shadow -- is Joseph Fiennes, sibling to "The English Patient's" Ralph Fiennes. Having already made himself visible via his role in this year's other good historical piece, "Elizabeth," Fiennes holds his own here. Perfectly suited for the dramatic, romantic, and comedic "demands" of this part, this may be Fiennes breakthrough role.
The supporting cast is a dream and features a veritable who's who of great performers. From Geoffrey Rush ("Shine," "Elizabeth") to Tom Wilkinson ("The Full Monty," "The Governess") and Ben Affleck ("Armageddon," "Good Will Hunting") and including smaller bits by the likes of Rupert Everett ("My Best Friend's Wedding"), the film is filled with great characters and performances.
The obvious scene stealer and crowd pleaser, however, is Judi Dench ("Mrs. Brown," "Tomorrow Never Dies") as the regally stuffy, but wiser than she looks Queen Elizabeth I. Effortlessly sliding into the role of yet another English sovereign (she played Victoria in "Mrs. Brown"), Dench revels in the film's best character, and Madden proves to be prudently wise in not overusing her presence.
While the film's obvious Shakespearean elements will most likely limit this film to more highbrow, adult audiences, if given the chance, more mainstream moviegoers will probably enjoy this delightful, funny and romantic picture. We give "Shakespeare in Love" an 8.5 out of 10.
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