This is a ’’behind the scenes’’ look at the writing of Romeo and Juliet all rolled up in a love story involving Shakespeare.
The cast and the acting are terrific: Ben Affleck, Joseph Fiennes, Gwyneth Paltrow, Judi Dench, Geoffrey Rush. This film is the winner of seven academy awards including best picture and best actress (Paltrow).
The film is set during the time of the writing of Romeo and Juliet. When Shakespeare has a bad bit of writing block he seeks some passionate inspiration which he finds in a secret affair with Lady Viola (Paltrow) who is engaged to be married to someone against her will. The words start flowing and the result is Romeo and Juliet.
Viola longs to be an actor and impersonates a man in order to play the lead role of Romeo in Shakespeare’s play! This was unheard of at this time.
The costuming and detail is terrific in this film - the outstanding critical acclaim is well earned. There is some very limited nudity (Paltrow).
I bet that the ’’real’’ Shakespeare was not nearly as sexy as Fiennes! But who cares!
On the DVD version (which is what I usually get) there is some interesting background information on the characters but not much other ’’extra stuff’’.