Once again we return to Kenneth Branagh. What can I say, the guy directed some great Shakespeare films! His second outing with one of the Bard’s plays resulted in this fantastic adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing, a light comedy mixed with a little drama and lots of romance.
The main plot has to do with lovers Claudio and Hero who determine to marry very early on in the play. However, they have also decided to play a game among themselves and their friends. Two of their friends, Beatrice and Benedick have sworn off marriage and always make a show of their hatred for each other, but what if these two could be brought together? This is the exact end result that Claudio, Hero and their friends strive for through some subtle, and some not so subtle, manipulation.
As with Branagh’s other adaptations, one of the things that makes Much Ado About Nothing work so well is the marvelous cast he assembled. This time we have Branagh, Emma Thompson, Denzel Washington, Robert Sean Leonard, Kate Beckinsale, Brian Blessed, Michael Keaton, and Richard Briers.
The chemistry here between the dueling Beatrice and Benedick is brought to life brilliantly through Branagh and Thompson, who execute the exact timing and comedic skill needed to make their japes work so well. It’s interesting to note that the pair was married during this production, which also makes it interesting to see how convincingly they were able to carry out an argument. Shockingly enough, they were divorced about two years later.
Remember how I said that Branagh almost always gets the right actor for the right part? Well, unfortunately, this film has one example where that didn’t happen. Somehow Keanu Reeves was cast in the part of Don John, the villainous role, and makes a very poor job of it, never coming off as convincing or conniving enough to be believable. Luckily the role is a small one, but it still baffles the mind as to why Branagh would allow such a thing to happen.
Aside from that one small misstep, this is an outstanding adaptation with several memorable performances, including Michael Keaton as the clownish constable Dogberry, Denzel Washington as the honorable Don Pedro, and Robert Sean Leonard as the dashing young lover Claudio. Actors like Branagh, Thompson, Blessed, and Briers we expect to see in a Shakespeare film, but for these others, it’s not so common, making it an unexpected surprise.
This is one I recently rewatched after not having seen it for a good ten years and found myself wrapped up in it all over again. Just about everything in this production is so delightful that you too will more than likely find yourself taken with it as you go on this hilarious and touching journey with these characters.
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