Joss Whedon's Much Ado about Nothing
Jun 14, 2013 18:30:06 GMT -6
affrosponge88, Stephen77, and 1 more like this
Post by Semi-bored torontonian on Jun 14, 2013 18:30:06 GMT -6
Reposted from the CZ:
Well, it's not hard to see what drew Joss Whedon to this play: it starts off as a light and witty romp, a night party among friends conversing in an artful and sophisticated language, full of double entendres and gentle barbs; but then it turns deadly serious. The language doesn't let up its wit, but suddenly there are real and troubling stakes. Nobody dies (spoiler alert), but some people could, and it quickly becomes clear Whedon saw in Shakespeare's play: a story about the ways friendship can be poisoned and mended; about how the people you love most can turn hurtful and selfish, but not hateful.
I suppose comparisons to Kenneth Branagh's solar, boisterous adaptation are inevitable, but Whedon keeps his anchored in a decidedly minor key. The surroundings are rich, but warm and understated. The interiors feel lived in (I suppose that's the effect of actually shooting in Whedon's own home). The camera work is fluid and inventive (something that lacked in the overblown spectacle that was The Avengers): a night garden party by the pool is shot like a pleasantly buzzed dream - the kind of slightly disconnected but nonetheless pleasant feel one gets after a few too many drinks with friends; and the black and white completes the intimate atmosphere, while also complementing the artifice of the dialogue.
Ah, that dialogue... Everyone acquits themselves well, but some better than other. While I appreciated that Fred and Wesley got to actually be together and be happy (thanks, Joss!), Amy Acker and especially Alexis Denisof seemed to have some difficulty with the diction, which sucked the air a little from some of their scenes. The best by far were Clark Gregg and Reed Diamond who found just the right tones playing characters that wavered wildly between benign farce and deadly drama. Nathan Fillion had fun as the idiot constable Dogberry (good Lord, that man needs to lose some weight though).
It's a sweetly inconsequential movie, but that's what makes it good: it feels intimate and inviting - like checking in with old friends you haven't seen in a while.
GRADE: A-
Trailers:
The Way Way Back: the talent in this film is ridiculous, and the tone seems self-deprecating and nostalgic enough, but I still feel no incentive to check it out.
Frances Ha: Ditto.
Unfinished Song: IMDB (Luis Guzman was great in it!) tells me that this is actually a more serious drama, but the trailer makes it seem like some kind of farcical romp about how old people are funny. Terrence Stamp stars as Grandpa Simpson.
The Butler: Holy shit. If Forrest Gump had Will Graham's encephalitis this would be his fever dream: Forrest Whitaker stars as a magical White House butler, born on a plantation and serving a succession of presidents, from Eisenhower (Robin Williams) to Kennedy (James Marsden) to Reagan (Alan Rickman ?!?!?!?). Oprah Winfrey, Lenny Kravitz and Cuba Gooding Jr. round up the cast. Lee Daniels (who else?) directs.
Well, it's not hard to see what drew Joss Whedon to this play: it starts off as a light and witty romp, a night party among friends conversing in an artful and sophisticated language, full of double entendres and gentle barbs; but then it turns deadly serious. The language doesn't let up its wit, but suddenly there are real and troubling stakes. Nobody dies (spoiler alert), but some people could, and it quickly becomes clear Whedon saw in Shakespeare's play: a story about the ways friendship can be poisoned and mended; about how the people you love most can turn hurtful and selfish, but not hateful.
I suppose comparisons to Kenneth Branagh's solar, boisterous adaptation are inevitable, but Whedon keeps his anchored in a decidedly minor key. The surroundings are rich, but warm and understated. The interiors feel lived in (I suppose that's the effect of actually shooting in Whedon's own home). The camera work is fluid and inventive (something that lacked in the overblown spectacle that was The Avengers): a night garden party by the pool is shot like a pleasantly buzzed dream - the kind of slightly disconnected but nonetheless pleasant feel one gets after a few too many drinks with friends; and the black and white completes the intimate atmosphere, while also complementing the artifice of the dialogue.
Ah, that dialogue... Everyone acquits themselves well, but some better than other. While I appreciated that Fred and Wesley got to actually be together and be happy (thanks, Joss!), Amy Acker and especially Alexis Denisof seemed to have some difficulty with the diction, which sucked the air a little from some of their scenes. The best by far were Clark Gregg and Reed Diamond who found just the right tones playing characters that wavered wildly between benign farce and deadly drama. Nathan Fillion had fun as the idiot constable Dogberry (good Lord, that man needs to lose some weight though).
It's a sweetly inconsequential movie, but that's what makes it good: it feels intimate and inviting - like checking in with old friends you haven't seen in a while.
GRADE: A-
Trailers:
The Way Way Back: the talent in this film is ridiculous, and the tone seems self-deprecating and nostalgic enough, but I still feel no incentive to check it out.
Frances Ha: Ditto.
Unfinished Song: IMDB (Luis Guzman was great in it!) tells me that this is actually a more serious drama, but the trailer makes it seem like some kind of farcical romp about how old people are funny. Terrence Stamp stars as Grandpa Simpson.
The Butler: Holy shit. If Forrest Gump had Will Graham's encephalitis this would be his fever dream: Forrest Whitaker stars as a magical White House butler, born on a plantation and serving a succession of presidents, from Eisenhower (Robin Williams) to Kennedy (James Marsden) to Reagan (Alan Rickman ?!?!?!?). Oprah Winfrey, Lenny Kravitz and Cuba Gooding Jr. round up the cast. Lee Daniels (who else?) directs.
