Quick Review: Much Ado About Nothing (2013)

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

BY CHRISTOPHER HASKELL
JULY 13, 2013

Easily one of the funniest William Shakespeare’s comedies to grace the big screen, “Much Ado About Nothing” is helped by Joss Whedon’s distinctive style of directing and producing humor from his brilliant and loyal cast of characters. As dense as the material can be, with Whedon using all the original text, the story eventually becomes easier to follow as the characters embrace their roles and bring their spin on the line delivery. There are several moments throughout the film where you can pinpoint Whedon’s additions to the humor, with a specific look or action, set piece, or location that brings a fresh take on a classic and helps keep the film current. Though I prefer Shakespeare’s tragedies, if anyone is going to handle a sophisticated comedy like this, who better than Joss Whedon, who yet again proves there’s no genre that he can’t conquer.