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Much Ado About Nothing Customer Reviews (43 - 45 of 48 Reviews)

Beautiful
This is one of my favorite Shakespeare movies. The performances were delivered so originally and the plot was so much like other movies that I thought for a while that this movie was not an adaptation of a Shakespeare play but an original brainchild of Kenneth Branagh, who was amazing and hilarious as Benedick. I have not read the entire play of Much Ado About Nothing but I could understand everything that was going on. Keanu Reeves played Don John like a real movie villain. I don't know who the plot revolves around. Is it about Hero and Claudio, Beatrice and Benedick, or both couples? Emma Thompson was also very funny as Beatrice. Is it just me or have Richard Briers (who plays Leonato) and Brian Blessed (who plays Antonio) been in almost every Shakespeare adaptation done by Kenneth Branagh. Kenneth Branagh really knows how to bring Shakespeare to the screen. I was sad that the girl who played Hero didn't have a lot of dialogue. Michael Keaton played Dogberry very nicely. I loved hearing his Beetlejuice voice again. I had no idea that Denzel Washington could do Shakespeare. He was so amazing as Don Pedro. A friend of mine thinks he should play Othello. I agree. See this movie. You won't regret it.

yuck!
I'm no fan of the original play and this film version is even worse. The film adds pointless scenes (nudity, along with others) not in Shakespeare's work and twists others; all aimed at an audience that doesn't care about solid acting--of which this film has none (spoiling the few interesting bits of the play)--to begin with and many of the actors simply shouldn't have even been considered-both Reeves (who can't act at all), and Keaton could never work out in a drama movie.
It should be said that nearly every big-screen Shakespeare translation (apart from Zeffirelli's version of Hamlet and Branagh's Henry V) have stunk. Parker's Othello is just as bad as this piece of trash to say nothing of Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet or Hoffman's A Midsummer Night's Dream. It's my suggestion, that if you really want to see Shakespeare off the stage, then look for BBC material.

Definitely a keeper here....
Branagh again shows his brilliance as the premier Shakespearean adaptation director of our time. He uses an imaginative cast and some dreamily beautiful scenery and music to create a movie that is light hearted, funny and escapist (which is a good thing is these dark times). Denzel is wonderful as the lovingly charming and self-assured Prince Don Pedro. Quite frankly I never suspected he could do Shakespeare so easily and sexily.
Branagh is not quite as good an actor as he is directing, but his witty and quick tempered Benedick has the right contrast of insecurity and aplomb. In my book though, he will never top his portrayal of Henry V. I've always had a huge crush on Emma Thompson and her performance here is nothing short of amazing; direct, passionate (I loved the teary scene after Hero's unwarranted disgrace, funny and wishful. I hardly know Robert Sean Leonard but I thought his naive and boyish portrayal of Claudio was quite appropriate to the role. He didn't steal scenes from Washington or Branagh but I think he was true to the play. Despite what many would say, I was pleasantly surprised by Keanu Reeves as the evil plotting Don John. He definitely looked the roguish part and his delivery is meant to show the limitations of the character (not that of the actor) as Shakespeare wrote the role. My only disappontment was that of Michael Keaton as the Constable Dogberry. I didn't appreciate his attempt at Beetlejuice humor and I thought a Geoffery Rush here would have done much better justice to this humorous and juicy role. Moreover, he kept jumbling his words so I could hardly understand what he was saying. The rest of the supporting cast were quite good especially Kate Beckinsale (Hero). This movie and it's DVD version is a must see classic for all Shakespeare fans.

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