“Shakespeare in Love” is a parody of Shakespeare’s life with a plot that mimics that of Romeo and Juliet—thus inspiring the writer’s story for one of his most recognized plays.  The film is set in the bustling world of Elizabethan London, where the young playwright, played by Joseph Fiennes, is struggling with writer’s block and a lack of inspiration. However, everything changes when he meets Viola de Lesseps, portrayed by Gwyneth Paltrow, a beautiful and courageous woman who is passionate about acting, so much so that she pretends to be a man in order to take to the stage.

I didn’t feel any great chemistry between Fiennes and Paltrow, but their performances were satisfactory.  However, the talented supporting cast features many now famous faces, including Judi Dench as Queen Elizabeth I, Geoffrey Rush as Philip Henslowe, and Colin Firth as Lord Wessex.

The film’s lavish production design and stunning costumes manage to transport the audience back to the enchanting world of Elizabethan theater and the clever dialogue captures the essence of Shakespearean language.

Overall, this is a light-hearted film that offers an imaginative interpretation of Shakespeare’s life and work, yet it failed to leave a lasting impression with me and may be considered a forgettable period piece.

I do believe that this is another example where Academy voters were most likely split between two bigger pictures, “Saving Private Ryan” and “Life is Beautiful”, which allowed this film to walk away with the Best Picture prize.  It should also be noted that both Joseph Fiennes and Geoffrey Rush appeared in two of the five Best Picture nominees for this particular year—“Elizabeth” as well as “Shakespeare in Love”.