(rated PG, 93 mins.)
A real feast for bookworms in this charming throwback of a 1930’s musical recreating the Shakespearean classic, about four best friends who put sex, drugs, rock and roll on hold for three years so that they may focus and devote themselves (sans women) to philosophy. Ah, if it were only that easy as Berowne (Kenneth Branagh), and his three best friends (Matthew Lillard, Alessandro Nivola and Adrian Lester) soon discover. The arrival of the Princess of France (Alicia Silverstone) and her three ladies in waiting (Nathasha McElhone, Emily Mortimer and Carmen Ejogo) throw everything into a star studded Cole Porter and Irving Berlin tizzy. It’s a fabulous romp through the movies of yesteryear that include Gene Kelly to Esther Williams routines and a little bit of “Casablanca,” and the abbey scenes of “Sound Of Music” thrown in. The sexy, stunning, King of the four best friends (Nivola) does for this movie what Jude Law did for “Talented Mr. Ripley”. But it’s Adrian Lester’s talents that steal the show for his choreographed routines resembling Fred Astaire’s grace to the Gershwin classic “I’ve Got A Crush On You.” Slapstick comedy is provided by two show stealers, Timothy Spall, hilarious as Don Armado a nobleman, with the help of vaudevillian clown, Nathan Lane only adding to the confusion, with their own love story over a local girl, Jacquanetta (Stefania Rocca.) The poetic cinematography makes this movie that otherwise has no intent or purpose, a breath of fresh air meant to simply and flawlessly entertain. Branagh not only sings, dances and performs, but also wrote and directed this musical feast. What a guy!
A real feast for bookworms in this charming throwback of a 1930’s musical recreating the Shakespearean classic, about four best friends who put sex, drugs, rock and roll on hold for three years so that they may focus and devote themselves (sans women) to philosophy. Ah, if it were only that easy as Berowne (Kenneth Branagh), and his three best friends (Matthew Lillard, Alessandro Nivola and Adrian Lester) soon discover. The arrival of the Princess of France (Alicia Silverstone) and her three ladies in waiting (Nathasha McElhone, Emily Mortimer and Carmen Ejogo) throw everything into a star studded Cole Porter and Irving Berlin tizzy. It’s a fabulous romp through the movies of yesteryear that include Gene Kelly to Esther Williams routines and a little bit of “Casablanca,” and the abbey scenes of “Sound Of Music” thrown in. The sexy, stunning, King of the four best friends (Nivola) does for this movie what Jude Law did for “Talented Mr. Ripley”. But it’s Adrian Lester’s talents that steal the show for his choreographed routines resembling Fred Astaire’s grace to the Gershwin classic “I’ve Got A Crush On You.” Slapstick comedy is provided by two show stealers, Timothy Spall, hilarious as Don Armado a nobleman, with the help of vaudevillian clown, Nathan Lane only adding to the confusion, with their own love story over a local girl, Jacquanetta (Stefania Rocca.) The poetic cinematography makes this movie that otherwise has no intent or purpose, a breath of fresh air meant to simply and flawlessly entertain. Branagh not only sings, dances and performs, but also wrote and directed this musical feast. What a guy!