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MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (2012) – The Review – We Are Movie Geeks

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MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (2012) – The Review

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So what do you after you direct the third biggest box-office grosser of all time? Well you make your own cinematic take on a centuries old Shakespeare romantic farce. In modern dress. And shoot it in black and white. In your own home. Over twelve days. That’s what the man behind last Summer’s blockbuster behemoth MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS, Joss Whedon, has done with MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. Over the last few years I ‘ve read interviews with Whedon and several of his cohorts who spoke of leisurely Sunday brunches at his home which would conclude the reading of a Shakespeare playing while enjoying fine wines. Finally Whedon thought the time was right to commit one to film and so he has assembled (kinda’ like those superheroes) actors from all facets of the “Whedon-verse”: TV shows (“Buffy, the Vampire Slayer”,”Angel”,”Firefly”,”Dollhouse”), internet series (“Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog”), and feature films (SERENITY, CABIN IN THE WOODS, MARVEL”S THE AVENGERS). But can he bring the same movie magic he brought to the works of Stan Lee (and Jack Kirby, etc.) and make the words of the great bard come alive for modern moviegoers?

MUCH ADO mostly concerns itself with one long weekend at the opulent estate of Leonato (Clark Gregg). A group of soldiers (hmmm, they’re dressed in black packing shoulder holsters-are they FBI, CIA, or, perhaps, SHIELD?) along with three prisoners led by the nefarious Don John (Sean Maher) have come to relax over said weekend. One of the young men, Claudio (Fran Kanz) is immediately smitten with Leonato’s beautiful young daughter Hero (Jillian Morgese). A wedding for the two is quickly planned. But, it turns out that Hero’s cousin Beatrice (Amy Acker) had a past romantic fling with Claudio’s superior Benedick (Alexis Denisof). Their split was not amicable and has left Beatrice bitter and Benedick a boastful avowed bachelor. Over the next two days Don John and his aides plot to break up the nuptials while the others conspire to bring the former lovers back together. After much partying and many misunderstandings will love prevail and (as Will S. used to say) “all’s well that ends well”?

The cast appears to be having a wonderful time reciting the classic dialogue. Being a big fan of the “Angel” TV show I was delighted with the pairing of Denisof and Acker as the reunited lovers (their tragic TV love affair as Wesley and Fred was one of Whedon’s greatest series moments). The two relish lobbing insults at each other, but when they hear through friends that the other may still be infatuated, these two transform into energetic and agile slapstick clowns. Speaking of clowns. leading man Nathan Fillion (currently TV’s “Castle”) steals every scene as the pompous buffoonish head of security Dogberry with Tom Lenk as his sycophant sidekick Verges. They’re a superb comedy duo. Gregg also score laughs as the easily distracted master of the house while Maher exudes sinister menace as the mastermind determined to cause havoc. The Whedon vets really pull this film together.

But the guy that really keeps things moving is Mr. Whedon himself. He stages the proceedings naturally with his camera almost a fly on the wall. Joss comes from a long line of media writers (Dad and Grandpa’ wrote for radio, TV, and iconic stand-up comics) and has directed feature films from his own scripts. But here Whedon is serving one of the all-time greatest writers and respects the material while giving it a modern sensibility. Filming in his own diggs gives the audience a little chance to indulge in “architectural porn” and wonder about this real abode (did he get this with “Buffy” money or “Marvel” Money?). But this never distracts from the charms of this tale. Midway through a Summer filled with constant 3D explosions, it’s nice to sit back and watch these talented actor really exercise their craft. A wonderful respite. Thanks Mr.W! Now, about that “super-team’….

4 Out of 5

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Jim Batts was a contestant on the movie edition of TV's "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" in 2009 and has been a member of the St. Louis Film Critics organization since 2013.