Review of Anonymous (2011) by Maksim B — 28 Jan 2012

Visually beautiful, absorbing and entertaining in a manner different from the typical Shakespeare movies, Anonymous is a worth-seeing delivery which relies more on assumptions than on facts. Hard to follow with unclear focus on different historical characters, this movie may not be a classic many had hoped for, but it surely will provide a very good entertainment to the fans of the genre.

After an uneasy start, going forth and back throughout the years in order to introduce the main characters and to layout the frame of the story, Anonymous sets on a good and involving track mixing art, personal ambitions, secret longings and nasty politics. The story is entertaining enough mainly due to the enigmatic and romantic Earl of Oxford, the secret romance of Queen Elizabeth I and the dirty politics game that take place in the movie.

It is not the typical fact-based story that is focused on the identity of the eventual writer who stood behind William Shakespeare and the name of the movie might mislead and not meet the initial expectations. In fact William Shakespeare and his plays are only a small part of the much bigger story: a story of forbidden love, passion towards art and the never-ending politics in the Queen's court. Of course, the insufficient focus on Shakespeare and his plays is a major disappointment, especially when director Roland Emerich has achieved such a perfection in costumes, designs and acting by the cast. That is somehow, but not fully, compensated by the thrilling politics games and the absolute remarkable performance of Rhys Ifans as the Earl of Oxford. His brilliant natural intelligence, tender manners and passion for arts are unforgettable and steal a huge amount of the show in the movie.

Anonymous is a truly entertaining movie, which fails to deliver what is initially promises, but almost fully compensates with other positive features. It would never be a classic such as Shakespeare in Love, but it is a refreshing look on politics, passion and the assumption that there was someone else behind William Shakespeare.