This is a weird review for me to put together since I'm not exactly sure how I feel about the picture.

"Shakespeare in Love" is dripping with melodramatic romance, a couple light laughs and a whole lot of "character" performances from notable actors.

The picture, originally written by Marc Norman and playwright Tom Stoppard, follows a young William Shakespeare as he is challenged to create a stage romance as equal to any love in real life. His answer is "Romeo and Juliet," but only after falling for his leading man, or woman I should say.

Shakespeare soon discovers master William Kent, playing Romeo, is actually Viola De Lesseps, who's got a big thing for the playwright. Their love affair is kept in the shadows since it is illegal for women to perform on stage, and De Lesseps is already promised to a Virginian named Lord Wessex.

Basically, parts of the picture are created as a comedy of errors, while others bath in Shakespeare and De Lesseps love affair.

The story of the picture for me has very little life and barely keeps my attention. However, the picture's cast is largely talented and gives very well developed and complete characters for us to follow.

Joseph Fiennes (Enemy at the Gates) plays Shakespeare amply, while Gwyneth Paltrow plays De Lesseps, who completely annoys the piss out of me when she appears as our upper class heroine, Somehow, Paltrow won an Academy Award of it. Whatever.

Geoffrey Rush (Shine, Quills), who has made an entire career for himself as a character actor, lights the screen up as theater owner Philip Henslowe. Other fun appearances from Ben Affleck (Jersey Girl), Tom Wilkinson (In the Bedroom) and Rupert Evertt (Importance of Being Earnest) all add to the picture's viewing quality.

Director John Madden (Captain Corelli's Mandolin) goes for beauty rather than a visual interest within the picture's story…yawn.

Overall, the writing is pretty punchy, but the plot is similar to that of a Shakespeare tragedy. You that as a guide whether or not you'd enjoy this pic.

I do have to admit, however, I'm a tad bitter towards "Shakespeare in Love" since it won the Academy Award for Best Picture that year, ousting "Saving Private Ryan," a far better, more interesting and important film. Oh well, what do you do?

Benn - Where's the Humanity?