Madden '98

Shakespeare in Love (1998):
What’s It About?: William Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) is having a bit of writer’s block while writing his new play, “Romeo and Ethel the Pirate’s Daughter.” This is in addition to money problems, relationship issues, overbearing bosses and the plague. But he finds his muse in Viola (Gwyneth Paltrow), a noble who is betrothed to an aggressive ass. She pretends to be a man to act in his new play, in turn changing the face of theater in olde England, and literature in the centuries to come.
How Good Is It?: It’s got a great screenplay, but as a film, it feels very slight. In fact, the screenplay is it’s only extremely great aspect. It’s well-made enough, and the acting is good, and the directing (by John Madden) is capable, but were the screenplay not as funny or smart as it was, the film would barely have made a blip.
Was it Best Picture?: No. Saving Private Ryan was a better choice, as was the great Life is Beautiful (which has received a backlash lately, but I still love it). Shakespeare deserved its screenplay win, but a few other wins (actress, supporting actress) make it obvious that the voters were being overly generous. It’s a good film, but it’s not so exceptional that it needed to be lauded.

Comments

[JmSR]

The question is though, that comedies are underrepresented at the Academy Awards. In the last few years we've seen Juno, Little Miss Sunshine and before that The Full Monty, Babe. If you take away Shakespeare's award, none of these comedies count. Maybe Shakespeare is the make-up award for all of them.