Much Ado About Nothing (I) (2012)

A modern retelling of Shakespeare's classic comedy about two pairs of lovers with different takes on romance and a way with words.

Director:

Joss Whedon

Writers:

William Shakespeare (play), Joss Whedon (screenplay)

Stars:

Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Fran Kranz

Cast

Credited cast:
Amy Acker	...	Beatrice
Emma Bates	...	Ursula
Sara Blindauer	...	Servant
Brett Ryan Bonowicz	...	Wedding Guest
Spencer Treat Clark	...	Borachio
Alexis Denisof	...	Benedick
Reed Diamond	...	Don Pedro
Nathan Fillion	...	Dogberry
Ashley Friedlander	...	Wedding Guest
Clark Gregg	...	Leonato
Anna Grimm	...	Servant
Elsa Guillet-Chapuis	...	The Court Photographer
Ashley Johnson	...	Margaret
Nick Kocher	...	First Watchman
Fran Kranz	...	Claudio

Storyline

A modern retelling of Shakespeare's classic comedy about two pairs of lovers with different takes on romance and a way with words.

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Plot Keywords:

four word title | shakespeare's much ado about nothing | based on play

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some sexuality and brief drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 June 2013 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mnogo buke ni oko čega

Filming Locations:

Santa Monica, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bellwether Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Color:

Color Black and White

Did You Know?

Trivia

Joss Whedon wanted to incorporate Steadicams for filming, but was unable to due to timing and budget constraints.

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Connections

Version of Mnogo shuma iz nichego (1973)

User Reviews

A delight for Whedon fans

I was lucky enough to see Much Ado at the UK premier last weekend, and I'm very glad I got the chance. I've been a big fan of Joss Whedon's work for a long time. However my knowledge of Shakespeare is very little, so I read the play first, which really helped me understand the text and the time period and appreciate some of the humour. I would highly recommend any Whedon fan who isn't familiar with Shakespeare to read the play before you see the film.

Much Ado struck me as a lovely little independent film. It's a delight for fans of Joss, as we get to see many fan favourite actors clearly having a great time. Alexis and Amy both shine, and Nathan was hilarious and great, despite this being his first time doing Shakespeare. The acting from the entire ensemble is consistently engaging, and most importantly, the film is funny throughout. Filmed entirely at Joss's house, which is a beautiful location and made all the better in glorious black and white. This and the understated music really add an interesting atmosphere to the film. After all, it is a 500 year old play put in a modern day setting, so it's kind of other-worldly. As for what this interpretation adds to the much loved play, certainly there are some subtleties of the characters and their lives which Joss has expanded on.

This film is the first to be released through Joss's independent production company Bellwether Pictures, and it bodes very well for the future of Joss's independent film work.