Much Ado About Whedon

Movies: Much Ado About Nothing

Joss Whedon's adaptation of Shakespeare's classic comedy is the stuff of minor Hollywood legend. Shot in 12 days at Whedon's own home in Santa Monica, and starring a bunch of Whedon regulars, the film is absolute candy for Whedonites and Shakespeare lovers alike.

Set in modern day, filmed in clean, beautiful black and white, Much Ado About Nothing is the perfect opposite of Baz Luhrmann's frenetic take on Romeo and Juliet. Although the two films are modern adaptation of Shakespeare, Much Ado is dreamy and smooth where R&J is grungy and aggressive.

Both films are great for someone like me--a person who never studied Shakespeare beyond the few plays I was required to read in high school, yet feels an intellectual obligation to be at least somewhat familiar with his oeuvre. It is difficult for me to follow along with any Shakespeare play, especially if I haven't read it or seen an adaptation before. I find these modern film adaptations easier to understand than theatrical productions, if only because I'm able to see the actors' body language and facial expressions up close. So I might miss the meaning of some witty banter--but I still know when to laugh.

Briefly, the plot centers on two couples: the older Beatrice and Benedick, who boldly proclaim their disdain for love and marriage while engaging in a constant (outrageously flirtatious) "merry war" of banter and dismissive insults with one another. The other couple are the young Claudio and Hero, who fall so madly in love with each other they plan to marry immediately. There are multiple conspiracies to bring the couples together and to tear them apart. Leonato, Beatrice's uncle, conspires to bring Benedick and and Beatrice into a "mountain of affection" through some well-placed false gossip. Despite the trickery, it's clear that B & B's love for each other was always there inside them, it just needed a little push to come to surface.

Claudio and Hero, on the other hand, are the victims of the villainous Don John, who puts into place a scenario that fools Claudio into thinking Hero is unfaithful and thus rejecting and humiliating her at the altar. I have to admit that I was severely creeped out by people dressed in modern clothing basically telling Hero she was better off dead than alive and without her virginity. Her own father included! But I liked how things played out in the end, with Hero pretending to die and then "coming back to life" and, like a merciful goddess, giving that dumb fuck Claudio another chance.

By far the best performance in a film filled with excellent acting was Amy Acker's turn as the sharp, irreverent Beatrice. She appears like a fully modern woman, disdainful of love, yet brimming with affection for her cousin Hero and uncle Leonato. Although Benedick accuses her of being a "harpy", she seems anything but: a sly, sarcastic intelligent woman whose only major flaw is her own pride.

Despite the Shakespearean slut-shaming (my friend chided "It was written 600 years ago. I think it he gets a pass"), I found Much Ado About Nothing a charming delight with a few sincerely deep pangs of emotion ("A miracle! Here's our own hands against our hearts." ...le sigh) within a frothy and gorgerously filmed comedy.

4.5 out of 5 stars