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Joseph Fiennes, Gwyneth Paltrow, Geoffrey Rush, Judi Dench, Simon Callow ... see more see more... , Colin Firth , Imelda Staunton , Ben Affleck , Tom Wilkinson , Jim Carter , Martin Clunes , Rupert Everett , Antony Sher , Daniel Brocklebank

William Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) is on a cold streak. Not only is he writing for Philip Henslowe (Geoffrey Rush), owner of "The Rose," a theatre whose doors are about to be closed by sadistic cred... read more read more...itors, but he's got a nasty case of writer's block. Shakespeare hasn't written a hit in years. In fact, he hasn't written much of anything recently. Thus, the Bard finds himself in quite a bind when Henslowe, desperate to stave off another round of hot-coals-to-feet application, stakes The Rose's solvency on Shakespeare's new comedy, "Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter." The problem is, "Romeo" is safely "locked away" in Shakespeare's head, which is to say that not a word of it is written. Meanwhile, the lovely Lady Viola (Gwyneth Paltrow) is an ardent theatre-goer -- scandalous for a woman of her breeding -- who especially admires Shakespeare's plays and, not incidentally, Bill himself. Alas, she's about to be sold as property into a loveless marriage by her mercenary father and shipped off to a Virginia tobacco plantation. But not before dressing up as a young man and winning the part of Romeo in the embryonic play. Shakespeare soon discovers the deception and goes along with it, using the blossoming love affair to ignite his muse. As William and Viola's romance grows in intensity and spirals towards its inevitable culmination, so, too, does the farcical comedy about Romeo and pirates transform into the timeless tragedy that is Romeo and Juliet. ~ Merle Bertrand, Rovi

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76% liked it

202,063 ratings

Critics

93% liked it

102 critics

R, 2 hr. 2 min.

Directed by: John Madden

Release Date: December 25, 1998

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DVD Release Date: August 10, 1999

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Stats: 8,842 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (8,842)

  • danperry17
    October 29, 2011
    danperry17
    I never thought it possible, but on the Gwyneth Paltrow's breasts front, I have to say: too much, too soon. I know, I know, it had to be established that this was a passionate love affair, and to the knukcle-dragging boyfriends watching this movie, there had to be a reason to kee... read morep watching, but the sex scenes in the early going actually had a negative impact. It got really boring by about the 45-minute mark, with the love affair having peaked early, leaving only the lacklustre Joseph Fiennes to invest in - very little was actually happening.

    Thankfully, though, the few plot pieces that were tediously laid down did knit together a great second half, one in which even Ben Affleck did his damnedest to not suck (and more or less succeeded). Gwyneth Paltrow carried the movie in a few spots, balancing her two characters very well. Best Actress-well? The Academy thought so...

    The story is at worst a plausible fiction, and contains many references to Shakespeare's life and work; the best and worst part of these references, however, is that they're playful, sometimes being clever and sometimes dragging the film down into camp. The film feels inauthentic, but it's quite glossy too... I'm not sure that it was better than Saving Private Ryan in 1998, but despite itself it turned out to be a rather good film.
  • DreamExtractor
    August 17, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    Great film, but not better than Saving private Ryan. The plot is amazing and funny. The cast is tremendous. The makeup and production was incredible, was it worthy of Best Picture, no. Was it worthy of many Oscars, yes.
  • wildaly14
    July 11, 2011
    wildaly14
    This was quite a good film but it just didn't seem Oscar worthy. I do concede that it was very original and funny.Not Oscar worthy but worth watching.
  • cosmo313
    June 2, 2011
    cosmo313
    This a romantic dramedy (mostly a comedy though) about Shakespeare that is very Shakespearean. Shakespeare is trying to write what will become Romeo and Juliet, but is poor and suffering from writer's block. A chance encounter with a noble woman who wants to act leads her to disg... read moreuise herself as a man to take part in theater, which leads her to begin an affair with Will, causing him to end his writer's block thanks to his new muse.

    This movie has it all: comedy, drama, romance, intrigue, mistaken identities, gender bending and disguises, female empowerment. the works. There's all sorts of references to Shakepeare's works and, while the film is fiction, many of the characters are fictionalized versions of real human beings. I think this is a very fun and entertaining movie, and while it is a good and solid affair, I don't think it is really a truly great film. I can see why it was nominated for Best Picture, but I don't feel that it should have won, especially not when it was up against Saving Private Ryan.

    The sets, costumes, and all of that are fantastic. I said the film is funny, but most of the humor is of the wit and in-joke varities. The drama is slight, but adds some emotional weight. The cast are all pretty good (a large cast with lots of knowns), and they all give pretty good performances, some better tha nothers. Affleck is okay, but unlike Paltrow, has some trouble with the accent. Paltrow won her Oscar heres as did Dench, and they are both great, especially the former. Joseph Fiennes (who a friend of mine once compared me to) is also really good. He needs more work. He's not as good as his brother Ralph, but he's got talent. Rush looks like he's having fun hamming it up, and Firth makes for a decent "bad guy".

    All in all, a very well made and enjoyable film. The more you know about or enjoy Shakespeare, the more you'll probably like this. Even if you don't, you might find something worthwhile, especially if you enjoy a good tale of romance, forbidden love, or have an interest in the arts.
  • stevenecarrier
    March 9, 2011
    stevenecarrier
    I admittedly love John Madden's "Shakespeare in Love." Do I think it deserved to be named Best Picture of 1998, of course not, but it certainly has many charms. This original period comedy features a fine cast of actors all doing their best with, at times, goofy material. Gwyneth... read more Paltrow is radiant (in an Oscar winning performance) and Joseph Fiennes is sexy and confident. Peppered through it's supporting cast are wonderful actors like Tom Wilkinson, Ben Affleck, Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Imelda Staunton and Judi Dench (in her Academy Award winning performance as Queen Elizabeth). The film is witty, well written and engaging. It's also very romantic and just a whole lot of fun. "Shakespeare in Love" is not high art by any means but it's a well crafted crowd pleaser. ("Shakespeare in Love" is a nice 90s touchstone for where pop culture and classic literature sensibilities combine.)
  • ceWEBrity
    September 13, 2010
    ceWEBrity
    By no means will I begrudge Shakespeare in Love its strengths, but period comedy just doesn't really sit with me. It isn't actively heinous like Cheri or Stage Beauty, but I found it sort of tedious most of the time - and not really all that funny. Gwyneth Paltrow's savvy and tho... read moreughtful performance of an admittedly thin character, and in that vein her surprisingly apt handling of certain scenes in Romeo and Juliet, definitely buoy the film. I wouldn't have given her an Oscar, but the field was not strong that year (and I'm guessing Supporting Actress wasn't either because Judi Dench winning for this is a complete joke). Really, this movie pulled a fast one on the Academy; having never actually seen Saving Private Ryan, I can't really join the chorus of slighted fanboy voices, but a cursory look at the IMDB page for the year reveals a much more appealing slate of awards-worthy films.

    Joseph Fiennes is sort of a wallpaper Shakespeare. I guess they didn't have the money to get his brother. Honestly, he and just about everyone else are already puddling in my mind. The movie just strikes me as a big blob of medieval brown. Not offensive in any way, and certainly strong through some passages, but totally skippable.
  • FrizzDrop
    August 2, 2010
    FrizzDrop
    A great love story that makes you want to find your own muse.
  • MeetMeinMontauk
    February 1, 2010
    MeetMeinMontauk
    When Joseph Fiennes came out of her room dressed as a woman, I near about died laughing.
    This was really not the downer movie I was expecting, but as many as Romeo and Juliet filmic adaptations I have seen, this had to be one of the best, considering it's not really a Romeo and J... read moreuliet adaptation. I almost hate to admit it, but I truly believe that every actor in here was completely phenomenal. I don't care for Gwyneth much, but I'm okay with overlooking it. Geoffrey Rush was amazing as usual. Joseph Fiennes was heart-skipping (not sure that's a popular term) and it's truly a rare occasion when I say I even liked Ben Affleck!
    Probably one of the best romantic, dramedies I've ever seen. Hysterical and sweet as true poetry.
  • fb619846742
    January 29, 2010
    fb619846742
    A witty, fresh fantasy tale chronicling Shakespeare and how he wrote "Romeo and Juliet" when he fell in love with an upper-class beauty. Fiennes is a fine fit, and Paltrow is a delight, with an uncharacteristic comic performance from Geoffrey Rush as well. The movie knows its rid... read moreiculous and that none of these events ever happened, so instead of trying to make this feel realistic or dramatic, the approach is purely comical and silly, and it surprisingly works extremely well. While I still don't believe it should've won "Best Picture" over "Saving Private Ryan", this movie is still a treat.
  • FilmFanatik
    January 4, 2010
    FilmFanatik
    A very nice love story.

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Critic Reviews

Lael Loewenstein
February 20, 2008
Lael Loewenstein, Variety

Accessible, entertaining and fun for modern audiences. Exquisitely acted, tightly directed and impressively assembled, this lively period piece is the kind of arty gem with potentially broad appeal th... Full Review

Lisa Alspector
February 5, 2007
Lisa Alspector, Chicago Reader

It's easy to suspend disbelief and embrace this historically creative fiction, whose clever relationship to what's known and what's unresolved is part of what makes it so intriguing and so romantic. Full Review

Jeff Millar
July 21, 2005
Jeff Millar, Houston Chronicle

It's a literary burlesque, remarkably clever and quick on its feet. It is ardently romantic but is at its best when it is funny. And it's funny. Full Review

Rick Groen
July 12, 2002
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail

Seems the Bard is badly blocked. Full Review

Kenneth Turan
February 14, 2001
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

A happy conceit smoothly executed, this is one of those entertaining confections that's so pleasing to the eye and ear you'd have to be a genuine Scrooge to struggle against it. Full Review

Julie Hinds
January 1, 2000
Julie Hinds, San Jose Mercury News

Smart crowd-pleasers are rare. So are romantic comedies that soar with genuine passion. This movie succeeds as both.

Michael Wilmington
January 1, 2000
Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune

Prepare to be ravished!

Amy Taubin
January 1, 2000
Amy Taubin, Village Voice

At first, the breakneck pace is entertaining (all these people knocking themselves out for our pleasure), but it soon becomes evident just how inane a film this is. Full Review

Ruthe Stein
January 1, 2000
Ruthe Stein, San Francisco Chronicle

The cast is near perfect. Full Review

Owen Gleiberman
January 1, 2000
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

This is a movie full of moments, and performances, to savor. Full Review

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Facts

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    • William Shakespeare: Can you love a fool?
    • Viola De Lesseps: Can you love a player?
    • Lord Wessex: I have spoken to your father.
    • Viola De Lesseps: So, my lord? I speak with him every day.
    • Hugh Fennyman: Henslowe! Do you know what happens to a man who doesn't pay his debts? His boots catch fire!
    • Richard Burbage: The Master of the Revels despises us all for vagrants and peddlers of bombast. But my father, James Burbage, had the first license to make a company of players from Her Majesty, and he drew from poets the literature of the age. We must show them that we are men of parts. Will Shakespeare has a play. I have a theatre. The Curtain is yours.
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Shakespeare in Love Trivia

  • In which movie was Colin Firth's character named Lord Wessex?  Answer »
  • in this movie gwyneth platrow and joseph fiennes share the leading roles, a comedy about the greatest love story almost never told  Answer »
  • Which actress WON the Oscar for Best Actress in 1998?  Answer »
  • In which of these films does Johnny Depp not star in?  Answer »
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