MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
A film review by David Rind
Copyright 1993 David Rind
I would not normally have written this review but I was dismayed to see a less than favorable review of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING appear here, and would be sorry to have anyone miss this wonderful movie.
Kenneth Branagh has directed his second Shakespearean play (after HENRY V) and again stars with his wife Emma Thompson. I had neither read nor seen MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING previously, and so was able to see it fresh in its own right.
The movie tells the story of two couples. The older couple, Beatrice (Thompson) and Benedict (Branagh) are anti-romantic to the point of misandropy and misogyny. The younger couple, Hero (Beatrice's cousin) and Claudio (Benedict's close friend), meet and fall instantly in love. The (good) other characters conspire pleasantly to have Beatrice and Benedict fall in love, while (evil) other characters conspire viciously to drive Hero and Claudio apart.
It seems presumptuous to even critique the writing, but I was impressed at how real and intelligent the characters seemed within this farce. The dialogue sparkles with wit and understanding.
The direction of this movie is superb. Branagh is one of the premier directors working today. HENRY V showed that he could make a rousing, powerful war movie, and DEAD AGAIN showed that he could make a Hitchcockian thriller as well as Hitchcock (which even DePalma has never quite done). MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING shows that he can also make a romantic comedy. He never seems to waste a scene or a shot. The movie flows brilliantly from its opening sequence of villagers and soldiers getting ready to greet each other, through to the closing dance in the castle.
Branagh and Thompson are superb. They bring their 16th century characters to life. The supporting actors are wonderful as well. Keanu Reeves plays the villain and is appropriately dark. Michael Keaton is fantastic as comic relief in the form of a village fool. Denzel Washington is excellent as a prince -- the leader of the troop of soldiers. I was not sure how it would work to have Denzel Washington (who is black) cast as the brother of Keanu Reeves (who is white), but after a few minutes this was not in the least distracting. I suspect that cross-racial casting could work far more often if Hollywood had the nerve to try it.
This is the best movie I have seen this year.
-- David Rind rind@enterprise.bih.harvard.edu
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