Despite the all-star cast, and Imogen Stubbs' most appealing performance as Viola, this is by no means another Much Ado About Nothing. Director Trevor Nunn stages an exciting beginning and a sweeping ending but in between, like the characters at the start, he's all at sea. Ben Kingsley is striking as Feste the jester, yet another example of this actor's versatility, but the rest - although Helena Bonham Carter is competent enough as Olivia - seem to be able to do little but go through the Shakespearian motions under Nunn's unimaginative direction, a stage director in search of a cinematic style he never looks likely to find. Slow and boring all too often, the film sparks to life every time the delectable Stubbs is on screen as the girl posing as a boy. Stubbs may be few people's idea of a man, but she makes you care about the character more than anyone else does here. When Kingsley says 'Would that we were well rid of this knavery', though, you may echo the sentiments.

©ipc tx. Film content from TVTimes