Shakespeare in Love

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Shakespeare in Love

R

1998

2h 30m

Romance

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

148 Reviews

80%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

"Shakespeare in Love" is a romantic comedy for the 1990s set in the 1590s. It imaginatively unfolds the witty, sexy and timeless tale behind the creation of the greatest love story ever told. A young Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) is out of cash and ideas, he meets his ideal woman and she inspires him to write one of his most famous plays.

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Critics Consensus

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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Caroline Siede

Girl Culture (Substack)

Mar 13

It’s a shared passion for the creative process that actively fuels Will and Viola’s romance. The play is good because they’re falling in love, but they’re also falling in love because the play is so good.

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Wendy Ide

The Times (UK)

11/01/2023

Tom Stoppard’s script is a playful delight; the tone is exuberant and lively.

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Terry Lawson

Detroit Free Press

01/05/2023

4/4

Though set in the Bard's 16th Century, Shakespeare in Love is hipper, smarter and cleverer than any contemporary romantic comedy in recent memory.

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Rachel Wagner

Hallmarkies Podcast

Apr 7

A fun movie I enjoy

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

03/02/2025

3.5/4

While it’s no Saving Private Ryan (which it absurdly beat for the Best Picture Academy Award mainly due to Miramax head Harvey Weinstein’s bullying, Oscar-mongering campaign), it remains a witty romantic comedy.

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Mark Johnson

Awards Daily

06/27/2023

A sweet and whimsical love story

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virginia S

@Ginny72 Mar 15

Finally saw this after more than 20 years and I must admit it is a great movie. I had been disappointed that it beat out "saving private ryan"—they are both fabulous movies and I can see why "Shakespeare" won.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Mar 1

The 1999 winner of Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Actress (Gwyneth Patrow) and Best Supporting Actress (Judi Dench).

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Aryaman S

@AryamanS Feb 10

Shakespeare in Love is the very epitome of cinematic art. Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes deliver brilliant performances, supported wonderfully by Geoffrey Rush, Tom Wilkinson, Judi Dench, and Colin Firth. The film is brought to life through John Madden’s graceful direction and the sharp, witty writing of Tom Stoppard and Marc Norman. The dialogue itself flows with poetic rhythm, with spoken lines bleeding seamlessly into poetry, capturing the spirit of Shakespeare’s world. Stephen Warbeck’s score adds warmth and emotion, while Martin Childs’ production design, along with Steven Lawrence’s art direction and Jill Quertier’s set decoration; beautifully recreates the period. Sandy Powell’s costume design, the work of the makeup and hairstyling team, David and Gabe Cronnelly’s stunt choreography, and Richard Greatrex’s cinematography all combine to create a timeless and meticulously crafted film that celebrates storytelling, theatre, and romance with remarkable charm and elegance.

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Alec B

@Alec97 Dec 14

Excessively silly but that's part of the movie's charm. There's so much fun to be had here and Stoppard's contributions to the script elevate the material without being too condescending.

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Mary S

@RT31692299 Nov 14

A stunning film with all the wit of the original playwright.

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Ashley R

@RT63048966 Nov 9

Clever, funny and in the end poignant. The years will be kind to SiL. One of the greatest of all romantic comedies. Some knowledge of Shakespeares works and words deepens the experience with a seemingly bottomless well of references and in jokes.

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John Madden

Director

Joseph Fiennes

William Shakespeare

Gwyneth Paltrow

Viola De Lesseps

Geoffrey Rush

Philip Henslowe

Judi Dench

Queen Elizabeth

Simon Callow

Tilney, Master of the Revels

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Synopsis

"Shakespeare in Love" is a romantic comedy for the 1990s set in the 1590s. It imaginatively unfolds the witty, sexy and timeless tale behind the creation of the greatest love story ever told. A young Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) is out of cash and ideas, he meets his ideal woman and she inspires him to write one of his most famous plays.

Director: John Madden
Producer: Marc Norman, Donna Gigliotti, David Parfitt, Harvey Weinstein, Edward Zwick
Screenwriter: Tom Stoppard, Marc Norman
Distributor: Miramax Films
Production Co: Miramax Films, Bedford Falls Productions, Universal Pictures
Rating: R (Sexuality)
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 25, 1998, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 21, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $100.2M
Runtime: 2h 30m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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