Parents' Guide to

Much Ado About Nothing

By Carrie R. Wheadon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Very accessible, jubilant Shakespeare with brief bawdiness.

Movie PG-13 1993 111 minutes
Much Ado About Nothing Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 11+

Based on 1 parent review

crankylibrarian
crankylibrarian Parent
January 3, 2014
age 11+

One of the best Shakespeare movies ever

Yes, it's Shakespeare, but it's chock full of slapstick humor, practical jokes, and gorgeous lovestruck young people. Kenneth Branagh in a rare comic role is priceless as Benedict, with a smouldering Emma Thompson as his Beatrice. I think of this as the "nice" version of Taming of the Shrew; the same battle of the sexes banter, except both parties end up giving a little and neither is totally humiliated or subjugated. Hero and Claudio may be the Dullest Lovers in Shakespeare, but who could resist the reluctantly lovesick Benedict: "I do love nothing in the world so well as you. Is that not strange?" Yes, wondrously strange. And wonderful that this is a story of two former lovers who broke each other's hearts, and must conquer their mutual distrust before the happy ending. A mature Romeo and Juliet, no longer starry eyed, but old enough to know what they're doing and yet still fall rapturously in love.
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What's the Story?

On a lazy summer day in the Tuscan countryside a page rushes up to some picnickers to announce that Prince Don Pedro (Denzel Washington) is coming to Mecina. He brings with him a handful of eligible soldiers in need of rest and revelry at Lenoto's villa. Leonato's daughter Hero (Kate Beckinsale) is excited to see Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard), but is promised to the prince. And Hero's cousin Beatrice (Emma Thompson) is anything but excited to see Benedict (Kenneth Branagh), and proceeds to engage in a "merry war of words" as soon as he arrives. As plans unfold to allow Hero to marry Claudio and, just for fun, see if Beatrice and Benedict can be persuaded to fall for each other, it's all merriment and mirth until the prince's illegitimate and always-cross brother Don Jon (Keanu Reeves) tries to spoil the fun.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (5 ):

The best way to handle one of Shakespeare's fluffiest comedies is to keep it as fun and fanciful as intended, and that's exactly what this movie does. The villain is never to be taken seriously here -- so why not cast Keanu Reeves? He's a man of few words anyway. Even better: Michael Keaton as the greasy-haired fool; he's hilarious. Toss in a giddy bathing scene opener, declarations of love dancing in fountains, masked parties full of tipsy revelers, and you forget you were working hard to understand centuries-old prose.

The "Much Ado" portion, however, gets a little tedious. The hysterics over Hero's botched wedding and faked death are overdone and overlong. Rather than rolling eyes while waiting for the happy resolution, why not focus on the Tuscan countryside setting? It's breathtaking.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Shakespeare adaptations. Which plays have you seen? Do you like the comedies or the tragedies best? Is this one easier to follow than most? Why or why not?

  • Families can also talk about love stories. Which are your favorites? Do you like stories of sweet and quiet couples like Hero and Claudio or ones that "doth protest too much" like Beatrice and Benedict?

  • Do you think modern Shakespeare adaptations should use modern language? What's the benefit of hearing the original language?

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