Written by: Marc Norman & Tom Stoppard
Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes, Geoffrey Rush, Colin Firth, Ben Affleck, Judi Dench
Rating: [3.5/5]
The joys and terrors of the Academy Award season means a film can reach a sense of immortality by winning one of those golden statues, but also can live in infamy because of it. A practice where the actual quality of the film becomes distinctly divorced from its reputation. Shakespeare in Love stands as one of those films which have suffered because of it even if when seeing the film for what it is, it proves to be something exquisitely charming.
In a rough place financially, William Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) tries to find a way to receive financing for what he believes will serve as one of his greatest works. As he crafts it together, he begins to fall in love with Viola (Gwyneth Paltrow) even with her betrothal to a desperate aristocrat, Lord Wessex (Colin Firth).
Winning the Academy Award for Best Picture over Saving Private Ryan may have been the worst thing that could have happened to Shakespeare in Love in how it gets perceived by the public, which definitely has more familiarity with the former film. Therefore it leaves this movie as the girlie one that talks about love and feelings as opposed to the war movie directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Hanks. However, most of those individuals have not even given this film a chance and while I would agree this feature does not reach the heights of the war film in terms of quality, it more than holds its own.
With all of the sweeping language and love occurring the basic plot of this movie centers on the creation of what will become Shakespeare’s unquestionably most well-known play “Romeo and Juliet.” A story about lovers from rival families finding each other through all of the commotion and falling in love. Thus the film comes chock-full of references one would pick up on if familiar with the play as what inspires specific moments and individual characters. This journey to get to the final product has Shakespeare involved in this enthralling romance with Viola. Their forbidden type of love comes from Viola’s betrothal and the apparent aggression of her fiance toward anyone who even comes near her. Also, it must be said, seeing Colin Firth portray this role just cracked me up. Knowing the type of roles he has done before, this one appears so out of place as he attempts to pass off as this brutish figure. This all culminates in what should be a performance of this play to the masses with great expectation.
As with any film about the creation of something, we get filled on the power of process and how things come together not through a miraculous organization of thoughts but rather trials and tribulations of ideas splattered all over the place until it gets distilled into something legible. This appropriately sums up any writer’s process, but imagine an even messier one and you get what Shakespeare experienced doing this particular play. It also does not help he must complete and win everyone over or he might find himself destitute and possibly in line to be murdered. Certainly no pressure for good ol’ Bill.
This film takes us into 16th-century England and all of the rules at play in both the aristocracy but also in the world of theatre. A time was famously known for not allowing women to portray women’s roles; this meant men needed to play Juliet. This makes it particularly difficult for Viola as she resorts to faking her way in as a man to try and get a part. A silly rule when looking back at it today but one taken very seriously way back then. It adds a duplicitousness to the story on top of the secret romance that makes every interaction between the lovers all the more heightened as at any moment their entire love story can come crumbling down, much like Romeo and Juliet.
With an illustrious cast filled with fantastic actors, Shakespeare in Love stands up and remains a worthy Best Picture winner. A ravishing and absorbing romantic historical drama that allows us to relish this era in all of its glory and troubles. We get a sweeping romance between two lovable characters portrayed brilliantly by the actors playing them. Seriously, it shows that when Gwyneth Paltrow cared to truly delve into a character like Viola she could deliver something absolutely sumptuous. This feature brings plenty of bombast, artistry, and shock to tantalize in every way a film.
Films with Josh 
