Anonymous (2011):

Starring:

Rhys Ifans - Earl Of Oxford

Vanessa Redgrave - Queen Elizabeth I

Sebastian Armesto - Ben Johnson

Rafe Spall - William Shakespear

David Thewlis - William Cecil

Edward Hogg - Robert Cecil

Xavier Samuel - Earl Of Southampton

Sam Reid - Earl Of Essex

Joely Richardson - Young Queen Elizabeth I

Jamie Campbell Bower - Young Earl Of Oxford

Director:

Roland Emmerich (2012; The Day Of Tomorrow; 10,000 BC)

Rotten Tomatoes:  47%

Flixster: 56%

Synopsis:

"Anonymous" speculates on an issue that has for centuries intrigued academics and brilliant minds ranging from Mark Twain and Charles Dickens to Henry James and Sigmund Freud, namely: who was the author of the plays credited to William Shakespeare? Experts have debated, books have been written, and scholars have devoted their lives to protecting or debunking theories surrounding the authorship of the most renowned works in English literature. Anonymous poses one possible answer, focusing on a time when cloak-and-dagger political intrigue, illicit romances in the Royal Court, and the schemes of greedy nobles hungry for the power of the throne were exposed in the most unlikely of places: the London stage.

Review:

Done in the style that you are watching the play Anonymous as if it were a movie. Cool concept. However there is nothing special about the film. It is your average period piece done with good acting, slow moving plot & story. The costumes, makeup & sets where actually quite amazing. Much more colourful, elaborate & noticeable than other period pieces. Rhys Ifans is the only really out standing performance, but it is still slightly boring & quite hard to stay interested. The storyline was actually quite intriguing but the slow moving pace really made it hard to keep interested or involved in the story. Who knew that supposedly Elizabeth I was all about the incest...

 62%

Lead Acting: 12/15
Supporting Cast: 11/15
Plot: 7/10
Compared To The Genre: 7/10
Cinematography: 12/20
Intrigue: 9/20
Extra:4/10