By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Michael Radford
Starring: Al Pacino | Charlie Cox | Jeremy Irons | Joseph Fiennes | Kris Marshall | Lynn Collins | Zuleikha Robinson
Country: italy, luxembourg, united_kingdom, united_states
Year: 2005
Running time: 138
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379889/combined
Hilary says: “Another triumph of art direction over substance; yawn.
“Further proof of how the mighty have fallen: it was particularly depressing watching Al Pacino chew the scenery and deliver his lines as if he was being fed them one at a time on cue cards, having just re-watched THE GODFATHER trilogy. This is *really* the same actor?
“3 cats for Venetian locations and costumes.”
Thom says: “If anyone besides me had any doubt that William Shakespeare is the greatest playwright of all time, this film should dispel your thinking. Then again, you’d also have to enjoy Al Pacino ripping up the screen as Shylock, which, in this case, I did. Shakespeare’s mad story of an angry money-lender exacting a revenge by wanting to cut out the heart of a faulty debtor not only has this remarkable plot device, but also includes romance, comedy, melodrama, and racism as brilliant motifs. Pacino manages to show not only Shylock’s mean streak, but makes him sympathetic as well. That Lynn Collins (no, not the Lyn Collins that was the stunning soul singer from the 70s), makes Portia not only a lovely creature, but also a deadly adversary, is no mean feat. Joseph Fiennes’ Bassanio is essentially the same role as the one he played in SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, but he’s still welcome here. Venice is lovingly used, but there have been a surfeit of great films that took place in Venice, so it’s really nothing new, although it is beautifully filmed. At this point, I can take or leave Jeremy Irons, but his Antonio doesn’t get in the way. MacKenzie Crook, from the great UK TV comedy THE OFFICE, is wasted here. Director Radford has really had a checkered career for me. While I loved his 1984 & WHITE MISCHIEF, I was one of the few that disliked his Oscar nominated IL POSTINO. But the main element for me here is that I had never seen a production of THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, so I was overwhelmed by its profundity as a play. 5 CATS”