MovieChat Forums > As You Like It (2007) Discussion > Now that it aired on HBO...

Now that it aired on HBO...

posted 17 years ago by TonyAtRest
7 replies | jump to latest

Now that it aired on HBO what do you think?

I really liked it. Pretty much anything Branagh does is OK with me, although I haven't seen everything he's done, I thought both Henry V and Much Ado were wonderful Shakespearian adaptations. I was surprised Kevin Kline's part was so small and Branagh himself was not in it. I didn't realize until I came to the imdb that Blessed played both Dukes.

Both actresses who played Celia and Rosalind were great, especially Rosalind. I didn't realize it was Ron Howard's daughter while I was watching. Likewise I didn't know Touchstone was Alfred Molina and he certainly was a highlight, as well.

I was so glad they left the epilogue in, having had to cut so much of the play out. When the credits came up I thought he didn't put it in, but then there it was. That is the most memorable part of the play to me, from the first time I saw it more than 20 years ago. If you have an actress who can pull it off, it leaves you exiting the play with a wonderful, whimsical feeling. The way Branagh shot it worked really well and certainly made me laugh, and cry.

Normally I hate it when they change the time period or location on Shakespeare, but this worked because, even though it was in Japan, it was mainly Englishmen, as indicated at the start of the film, so there was not too much to distract from the play itself, once you get past the Sumo wrestling, which was OK because there is really a wrestling scene in the play, they just changed it to Sumo, which is kinda funny.

I guess I had heard about this film being in the works or something, but I must have forgotten. I just happened to see a promo for it after Entourage, which I watched Monday, then Tuesday it was on, so the whole thing was pretty much spur of the moment for me, maybe that makes it seem that much better. If I was building up for two years to see it, like some people that have posted here, maybe I wouldn't have liked it so much, I don't know. Anyway, it was great!

[–] ashby1 17 years ago

I liked it too!! It was effervescent, silly and light-heartedly all about love. A true romantic comedy. I laughed out loud a few times at Alfred Molina, and "Celia" was funny too. The movie is BEAUTIFUL, that was the first thing I noticed when I first saw the commercials for it. Dark maroons, rose colors and Rosalind's amazing red hair. All set against a magical green garden. (Branagh's camera kept swarming through the exotic plants, drawing us into the fantasy land.) The setting in Japan was fun, with just another reason to have fascinating Japanese and older 19th century Western costumes.
I thought that Bryce Dallas Howard was very good and that David Oyelowo was a real presence; although his character was hopelessly in love, he also projected great intelligence, a kind heart and real masculinity. As with other Branagh Shakespeare productions the language was as natural as possible, the delivery from Kevin Kline and Brian Blessed seemed effortless. And listening to it (I am not a Shakepeare expert nor an English teacher) I understood effortlessly also. No straining to understand.
Kenneth Branagh is a real lover of Shakespeare and he wants us to see the beauty in the language too. He succeeded, and it was fun.

[–] TonyAtRest 17 years ago

Yes you reminded me that I totally forgot to mention that both the guys who played the De Boys brothers were great as well. And the small part of William was a Japanese guy, which was surprising. When I saw the play the first time, it was a much bigger part. I believe it is the only character Shakespeare named after himself.

[–] Puppetry115 17 years ago

I totally agree with you! I just came upon it this month so I wasn't in anticipation for years, only a few weeks. I thought it was beautiful, great to look at and the cast was great. Romola made me laugh a lot and Alfred Molina was funny. I liked that Kenneth was not in the film, this movie seemed fresh and fun and different. Green is my favorite color and this movie made me love it even more. The music was good too. I really enjoyed this movie!

[–] Sam501 17 years ago

I thought it was okay. Not great, not bad.
Alfred Molina and Janet Mcteer were fanatastic! I was a little disspointed in Kevin Kline...I usually like him alot more.
I did not think Romola Garai was anything to write home about...she's just okay.
I thought Bryce was lovely, but maybe a bit too lovely. Would like to have seen a little rougher edge. A little more falling apart at the seams once she is caught up in the deceit. But overall, I enjoyed her performance and think she is very talented.
Overall...a B...or B- at worst.
Alfred Molina an A+.

[–] downtek 17 years ago

I love the play's push-and-pull on the subject of romance: deluded mushiness vs. immortal bliss? (see my recent notes on Shakespeare's Fools).

But Bryce Dallas Howard's gorgeous girliness did create one of this productions real problems for me: I kept thinking that David Oyelow (Orlando) had to be in on the joke; he couldn't possibly have overlooked that the supposed Ganymede was a girl, HIS girl. Orlando's eyes and expression even seemed to suggest that he was playing along dutifully and delightedly with the masquerade, but was undeceived. And then there would be a line that indicated he definitely hadn't caught on.

You could cast a young Vanessa Redgrave or Sigourney Weaver or Katherine Hepburn in this part, and they could pull off the "pretty boy" deception well enough; they have the huevos to do it, and the height. But Bryce was just too inescapably a lovely lass. Even in drag.

[–] TonyAtRest 14 years ago

True enough, but you must remember, this was based on a Shakespearean play; if you have seen it performed live, you have to overlook some obvious things like that. In Comedy of Errors, there are sets of identical twins, but of course the actors playing them aren't really twins, you just have to use your imagination. And in Shakespeare's day, all the parts were played by males, so that wouldn't have been a problem!

[–] Yawsbass 14 years ago

I got it on DVD a few years ago because I liked Branagh's previous Shakespearean work and liked the cast. Honestly, if it had been released theatrically, it probably would have been my pick for best movie of 2006. I'm probably in an extreme minority there, but I absolutely loved it.