Do you want to see ‘Shakespeare in Love’?

Shakespeare in Love (1998)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 8.1/10
Reviews Counted: 102
Fresh: 95 | Rotten: 7

Endlessly witty, visually rapturous, and sweetly romantic, Shakespeare in Love is a delightful romantic comedy that succeeds on nearly every level.

Average Rating: 8/10
Critic Reviews: 25
Fresh: 23 | Rotten: 2

Endlessly witty, visually rapturous, and sweetly romantic, Shakespeare in Love is a delightful romantic comedy that succeeds on nearly every level.

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Average Rating: 3.3/5
User Ratings: 202,063

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Movie Info

William Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) is on a cold streak. Not only is he writing for Philip Henslowe (Geoffrey Rush), owner of "The Rose," a theatre whose doors are about to be closed by sadistic creditors, but he's got a nasty case of writer's block. Shakespeare hasn't written a hit in years. In fact, he hasn't written much of anything recently. Thus, the Bard finds himself in quite a bind when Henslowe, desperate to stave off another round of hot-coals-to-feet application, stakes The Rose's

R, 2 hr. 2 min.

Comedy, Romance

Directed By: John Madden

Written By: Marc Norman, Tom Stoppard

In Theaters: Dec 25, 1998 Wide

On DVD: Aug 10, 1999

Miramax

Shakespeare in Love Trailer & Photos

Cast

Joseph Fiennes
William Shakespeare
Gwyneth Paltrow
Viola De Lesseps
Geoffrey Rush
Philip Henslowe
Judi Dench
Elizabeth I
Simon Callow
Tilney Master of the Re...
Colin Firth
Lord Wessex
Imelda Staunton
Nurse
Ben Affleck
Ned Alleyn
Tom Wilkinson
Hugh Fennyman
Jim Carter
Ralph Bashford
Martin Clunes
Richard Burbage
Rupert Everett
Christopher Marlowe
Daniel Brocklebank

Critic Reviews for Shakespeare in Love

All Critics (103) | Top Critics (26) | Fresh (99) | Rotten (7) | DVD (26)

Accessible, entertaining and fun for modern audiences. Exquisitely acted, tightly directed and impressively assembled, this lively period piece is the kind of arty gem with potentially broad appeal that Miramax certainly knows how to sell.

February 20, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety

| Comment (1)

Lael Loewenstein

Variety

Top Critic

It's easy to suspend disbelief and embrace this historically creative fiction, whose clever relationship to what's known and what's unresolved is part of what makes it so intriguing and so romantic.

February 5, 2007 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

| Comment

Lisa Alspector

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

It's a literary burlesque, remarkably clever and quick on its feet. It is ardently romantic but is at its best when it is funny. And it's funny.

July 21, 2005 Full Review Source: Houston Chronicle

| Comment

Jeff Millar

Houston Chronicle

Top Critic

Seems the Bard is badly blocked.

July 12, 2002 Full Review Source: Globe and Mail

| Comment

Rick Groen

Globe and Mail

Top Critic

A happy conceit smoothly executed, this is one of those entertaining confections that's so pleasing to the eye and ear you'd have to be a genuine Scrooge to struggle against it.

February 14, 2001 Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times

| Comment

Kenneth Turan

Los Angeles Times

Top Critic

With glittering shows of erudition and playfulness, Shakespeare in Love mixes history, fiction, comedy and romance to create a pure joy of a movie!

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Detroit News

| Comment

Susan Stark

Detroit News

Top Critic

A brilliant and witty script by Tom Stoppard is brought to life by a great cast.

August 26, 2011 Full Review Source: Three Movie Buffs

| Comment

Scott Nash

Three Movie Buffs

A cleverly scripted reworking of a period comedy.

February 20, 2008 Full Review Source: Film4

| Comment

Film4

Wastes no time setting itself up as a rowdy, colloquial piece of popular entertainment -- the furthest thing from a fussy biopic of the Bard.

September 23, 2007 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com

| Comment

Rob Gonsalves

eFilmCritic.com

It is clear that everyone in the film is having a great time with the material, and it is contagious.

July 14, 2007 Full Review Source: Big Picture Big Sound

| Comment

Joe Lozito

Big Picture Big Sound

Henslowe may be onto something when he jokes that all audiences want is love and a bit with the dog, but this film delivers much more.

February 5, 2007 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

| Comment

Sandra Contreras

TV Guide's Movie Guide

A sumptuous fictional glimpse into the creative mind of one of history's most brilliant theatrical minds.

January 4, 2007 Comment

Wesley Lovell

Oscar Guy

A rare crowd pleasing movie that's smartly written and splendidly acted, representing a combination of poetry, art, and entertainment that does justice to the Bard's own comedies.

December 3, 2006 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

| Comment

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

It's the performances which push this to a very high level.

October 30, 2006 Full Review Source: Dark Horizons

| Comment

Garth Franklin

Dark Horizons

It's Tom Stoppard's witty, intelligent script which proves so satisfying.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment

Derek Adams

Time Out

Shakespeare in Love moves fast, and may deserve multiple viewings. It's a delicious feast of lowbrow and highbrow mixed with romance.

May 26, 2006 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid

| Comment

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

The matter of fact telling of just how young Will got many of his ideas is leavened with all the elements of great film and [director John] Madden balances them all with grace, style and skill.

April 9, 2005 Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews

| Comment

Robin Clifford

Reeling Reviews

Although Shakespeare in Love benefits from a delightful screenplay by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard -- and a flattering one, for viewers who can congratulate themselves on recognizing this or that tatter of the Bard -- the film's virtues peter out.

March 3, 2005 Comment

Stuart Klawans

Nation

It has powerful language and a wealth of talent as its distinguishing marks, but it shies away, curiously, from poetry, subtlety, and art whenever the lovers embrace, and we're left with no heroes or heroines worth swooning for.

December 6, 2004 Comment

Jeffrey Overstreet

Looking Closer

A nothing movie. Gossamer-thin, the slightest breeze will blow it from our collective memories.

July 5, 2004 Comments (7)

Martin Scribbs

Low IQ Canadian Source: Low IQ Canadian

The greatest enjoyment of the film is for those who are familiar with Shakespeare's plays.

May 25, 2004 Full Review | Comment

Dragan Antulov

rec.arts.movies.reviews

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Shakespeare in Love

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I never thought it possible, but on the Gwyneth Paltrow's breasts front, I have to say: too much, too soon. I know, I know, it had to be established that this was a passionate love affair, and to the knukcle-dragging boyfriends watching this movie, there had to be a reason to keep watching, but the sex scenes in the

May 6, 2007

Daniel Perry

Super Reviewer

Great film, but not better than Saving private Ryan. The plot is amazing and funny. The cast is tremendous. The makeup and production was incredible, was it worthy of Best Picture, no. Was it worthy of many Oscars, yes.

August 17, 2011

Brad Wright

Super Reviewer

Shakespeare in Love Quotes

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1. William Shakespeare: Can you love a fool?
2. Viola De Lesseps: Can you love a player?
– Submitted by Mauricio R (3 months ago)
1. Lord Wessex: I have spoken to your father.
2. Viola De Lesseps: So, my lord? I speak with him every day.
– Submitted by Mauricio R (3 months ago)
1. Hugh Fennyman: Henslowe! Do you know what happens to a man who doesn't pay his debts? His boots catch fire!
– Submitted by rob g (9 months ago)
1. Richard Burbage: The Master of the Revels despises us all for vagrants and peddlers of bombast. But my father, James Burbage, had the first license to make a company of players from Her Majesty, and he drew from poets the literature of the age. We must show them that we are men of parts. Will Shakespeare has a play. I have a theatre. The Curtain is yours.
– Submitted by rob g (9 months ago)

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