Much Ado About Nothing

Rating:
Summary: good but uneven
Review: this is an enjoyable adaptation of shakespeare's play, but it is slightly marred by some poor acting and by the abridgement of the text that loses the depth and rhythm of the play. on the other hand, the film does capture the festive atmosphere.

see the bbc television production for a more well-rounded and better acted adaptation. it doesn't have the production value of branagh's version, but it is a more satisfying adaptation of much ado about nothing.

Rating:
Summary: Movie Trailer Song Title
Review: May I know whats the song title used in the movie trailer?

Rating:
Summary: Shakespeare for the dedicated reader
Review: The story is set in Messina, Italy, where we meet: Benedick, a brash, conceited young lord of Padua; Beatrice, the arrogant, witty, niece of the Governor of Messina; Claudio, a love-struck young lord of Florence; Hero, the object of Claudio's affection, and daughter of the Governor of Messina; and Don John, the Prince of Aragon's bastard brother and general evil-doer. These main characters get flustered over nothing explaining the title of the book, Much Ado about Nothing. Beatrice and Benedick both vow never to get married. They are constantly having a battle of wits, bantering back and forth. The Prince, Don Pedro, Claudio and Leonato, the Governor of Messina, set up Benedick to fall in love. When they are sure that Benedick is within hearing distance, they begin a conversation about Beatrice's love for Benedick. On the other side of the garden, Hero, Martha and Ursula wait until Beatrice is within hearing distance to carry out their part of the scheme, and begin to talk of Benedick's undying love for Beatrice. Benedick and Beatrice end up falling in love "against their will".
In another plot of the story, Claudio and Hero are in love and are going to get married. But John Don, not wanting to loose his chance of becoming the king, cooks up a scheme to end the wedding. Don John sets up the Prince and Claudio to see Martha, Hero's maid, at Hero's bedroom window with a man who calls her Hero. Claudio, thinking Hero is being unfaithful, refuses to marry her shaming her in front of family and friends.
Much Ado about Nothing has wonderfully developed characters and very descriptive scenes, so much so that you feel as though you can see the sights of Messina along with the characters. Although this is a wonderful and well written story it did have one weakness. Shakespeare used the same theme as in Romeo and Juliet. A friar has the idea that the young Hero, who wants to marry her true love but can not, should pretend to be dead. This seems repetitive and makes you wonder if maybe Shakespeare was running out of ideas.
Much Ado about Nothing is a lively tale of young love and deception. It is a good read for anyone willing to put in a little effort to understand Shakespeare's language and play on words by reading footnotes. It is definitely worth the effort.

Rating:
Summary: Shakespeare at Its Best
Review: I saw this movie when I was fairly young. I admit that I couldn't understand much of what was going on let along what was being said (I was nine, I wasn't exactly fluent in Olde English). Since then I've watched it many times. Not only do I understand it now, but I fully apreciate how good it is.

The movie is a very good adaptation of the play. The impressive lines that Shakespeare wrote were generally given new life in their delivery. Also, I must compliment Michael Keaton on his role. It isn't a very big one, but if you watch this movie, you'll understand why I mentioned it. Overall, this is simply a fully enjoyable movie, whether you're a fan of Shakespeare or not.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best Shakespeare adaptations I've seen!
Review: I absolutely love this film, it's funny, and filled with romance, mischief, misunderstanding, basically all of the things that make Shakespeare's comedies what they are. I enjoyed the performances from all around, including Kenneth Branagh, Denzel Washington, Michael Keaton, etc. this is something that can be viewed again and again, and you will never tire of it. it is a romantic romp that brings a smile to your face that never fades from beginning to end. from the sparkling wit and repartee of Benedick and Beatrice, to the bumbling detective work of Dogberry and his entourage, this is a highly recommended movie.

Rating:
Summary: It's worth watching more than once.
Review: A group comes to a little country paradise, which soon turns to chaos. An evil half brother to the prince turns love to jealousy, trust to betrayal, and plants rumours through his lackeys. A woman is nearly ruined, but a priest creates a plan to save the day with her still loyal friend's help.
There is also a more light and amusing sub-plot two get two bitter enemies to fall in love with a scheme played out by all. Most of the acting is excellent.

Rating:
Summary: Thou shalt adore this DVD!
Review: What a wonderful find! The DVD version of this movie is simply splendid! The segment in the DVD version called "Making Much Ado" provides a terrific, brief overview to the film and is well worth the extra dollars to invest in the DVD format. Interviews with each of the actors will help you to appreciate this movie for what it truly is: a cinematic work of excellence! You will fall in love with Shakespeare's wittiest pair, Beatrice (Emma Thompson) and Benedick (Kenneth Branagh), while admiring the absolutely gorgeous landscape of the set. Each character's unique portrayal adds to the lighthearted feel of the movie; Shakespeare's diction is handled so well that the blank verse is remarkably stimulating...even to those who usually find it detrimental. Truly a film you will not want to miss, Branagh's MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING is proof of how modern technology can so enhance the genius of the Bard.

Rating:
Summary: Charming...
Review: The scenery is gorgeous, most of the acting fine, the music lovely, and the language, after all, belongs to Will Shakespeare. Unfortunately, this production suffers from K. Brannagh's editing. He cut out a lot of the play's funniest lines. Some would also argue that he darkened the plot inappropriately.

Despite all that, I think it's one of the best of the recent Shakespeare movies. Brannagh and Thompson are great as two of Will's smartest lovers.

Rating:
Summary: You take pleasure in the message, then?
Review: What a brilliant cast, what brilliant camera-work, what a delight for the eyes, and what music to the ears!

Keaton is a little creepy to my taste, but he is generally entertaining for all that. Robert Sean Leonard does a terrific, boyish Claudio ... the thoroughly sleazy Keanu Reeves plays upon him with an ease which is painful to witness. This appearance by Denzel Washington demonstrates his worthiness to receive an Oscar, only I wish that award had been for this role rather than Just Another Cop Movie; the cast all together work miraculously well together, you almost feel Shakespeare wrote this play in the nineties, with this cast in mind. Branagh and Thompson are terrific as ever ... they must have been uncomfortably like Beatrice and Benedick in real life, two great talents too sharp to fit one another peaceably ... but this is one of the documents which make you wish they could have continued a lifelong partnership. To see this, is to regret that Thompson fell into a period of prolonged dowdiness in such things as "Carrington" and "Howard's End" (both beautifully filmed, but both rather tawdry stories ... part of their power, I suppose, being the dissonance between their visual beauty, and how "soiled" the stories make the viewer feel).

Shakespeare is too great that any one production might claim to own him, but this movie is a model of perfection ... you nearly feel that no one else may have any right to Much Ado.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Shakespeare representation
Review: Even my husband and 12 year old son love it! Every time we see it we are quoting the words. funny movie yet with drama and some suspense. Emma Thompson, denzel Washington and Keenue Reaves are perfect in this romantic comedy of Shakespeare. The area the movie is made in does not look like sicily but rather Tuscany.
Must see.