Shakespeare in Love (DVD, 1999)

If you're a fan of Shakespeare -- or if you like a good romantic comedy, but wonder what all the fuss was about back in 9th grade English -- get your hands on this DVD as soon as you can. If you know or care nothing about Shakespeare, you'll be won over by the first-rate acting, the attention to period detail and the witty dialogue. But if you are of that dying bread that still appreciates the art of the greatest writing the English language has ever produced, then you will be swept away by this charming evocation of Shakespeare's work and world.
All the performances are uniformly solid; Joseph Fiennes brings a believably manic creative energy to his portrayal of Shakespeare. Dame Judy Dench earned a well-deserved Oscar for her small but pivotal contribution as a wise and magnanimous Queen Elizabeth. Yet it is Gwyneth Paltrow who steals the show as well as the heart of the Bard. She has never been more radiant, and she succeeds in communicating both strength and vulnerability in her role as a woman who longs to tread the boards in a world that barred her sex from the stage.
Arguably, the star of the show, however, is the wonderful writing by playwright Tom Stoppard. Cleverly weaving countless alusions to Shakespeare's life and works into the dialogue (don't worry -- it doesn't hurt the movie a bit if you don't 'get' them), he makes a convincing case that Shakespeare created his classic 'Romeo and Juliet,' not in a burst of romantic inspiration, but out of the whole clothe of his day-to-day experiences.
Far from a dusty and academic homage to a long-dead writer, 'Shakespeare in Love' is the sort of playful and appropriately exploitive turn on the old metaphor of theater as life that the Bard of Avon himself would have loved!

Powerful emotional film about what it takes to make a play sell in elizabethian England. I have this movie recorded on VHS several years ago but I really like the picture quality DVD has to offer along with the never ending dynamic sound you can get from them. I bought this movie to share with my wife and I. We both loved it and will watch it for many years to come

After winning teh Oscar for BEst Picture, this film has gone underground, it seems, and undeservedly so. Gwyneth Paltrow has never looked hotter, Joseph Fiennes proved here he's a better actor than his brother Ralph, and the comic relief provided by Geoffery Rush and Tom Wilkinson is unmatched recently in film. Rent or buy this film. I think both men and women can enjoy it immensely.

I have been a huge fan of Shakespeare since High School. I love his plays and I love learning more about his personal life. There isn't a lot out there about his personal life, but it's definitely interesting.
I bought this movie because I'm currently taking a Shakespeare Course in college and my professor suggested I watch the movie because of how the theater business is portrayed. I truly enjoyed watching the movie because it was entertaining with love and comedy. Joseph Fiennes is HOT so that was a definite plus. I definitely recommend the movie.

Gwyneth Paltrow shows her boobies. This is a fantastic love story with humor, wit, charm, and fun. Superb acting by many and full of energy. Oh, and did I mention that Gwyneth Paltrow shows her boobies?!