Anonymous - Movie Review

Anonymous, an alternative history of William Shakespeare, is reviewed by Christy Lemire (AP critic and host of Ebert Priesents at the Movies, check your local PBS listings) and Ben Mankiewicz (host of Turner Classic Movies).
See what other critics are saying: www.rottentomatoes.com/m/anony...
The theory that it was in fact Edward De Vere, Earl of Oxford, who penned Shakespeare's plays. Set against the backdrop of the succession of Queen Elizabeth I and the Essex rebellion against her.
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[@christopherknox]

Although I do not believe in the Oxfordian Theory at all, I am mesmerized by how fantastic this film is in every way. I watch it frequently, fully aware that the theory it is built upon is absurd. It is a cinema masterclass from a director I had previously thought incapable of making a good movie at all.

[@MrAmmaccabanane97]

I agree, this film is absurdly underestimated. Jamie Campbell Bower now is a famous actor, also thanks to Stranger Things. Back in 2011 he was the last name in the list of actors. I hope Emmerich will make more movies of this genre.

[@menschkeit1]

See 'Shakespeare's Lost Kingdom' (Beauclerk) and 'Shakespeare by Another Name' (Anderson)--de Vere wrote the plays, there really shouldn't be any debate any more.

[@thesardonicpig3835]

It's an absolutely fantastic film, and I agree it comes from an unlikely place! (I didn't know Emmerich usually made action movies until recently.) The theory is not as absurd as it might look at first sight. I would recommend looking at Shakespeare/Shakspere before you look at De Vere, though, so you can see where the doubt is coming from. Shakspere's life doesn't match up with the plays at all. Meanwhile, De Vere's life is a perfect fit.

[@louisaparker]

In 2023, I finally got around to watching this movie. Nice that the old What the Flick review is still available.

[@rasnac]

Roland Emmerich making a Shakespeare movie! Now, that's a scary premise...

[@ArtemisMS]

Does the film address the sonnets and works like Venus and Adonis?

[@danielmcdermott138]

Talentless director decides to make serious film which slanders a genius.

[@idontgiveafaboutyou]

Lmao

[@kirkstable]

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Oxfordian_theory_supporters

[@setarehgharehbaghnejad2855]

the theory is a serious accusation and based on speculations. nevertheless the movie itself is well-made and performances along with all technical details of cinema are made professionally.

[@sislertx]

Actually.it is.based on more facts.than the man from.Stratford ...lots more...and the Stratford group has.resorted to pseudo science way too often...

[@badjemima]

What is going on with the subtitles?

[@GigaBoost]

@Hamhark98 So?

[@xteric1]

you are not supposed to know who is who in the movie..that why it's called anoymous

[@ArtemisMS]

Also the idea that Shakespeare was illiterate is kind of ridiculous because he was also an actor.

[@MegaGiants11]

@waste0fspais Shakespeare did not grow up dirt poor either he had a formal education.

[@GigaBoost]

@Hamhark98 So? Thats never stopped people before.

[@Ex0dus111]

I wwas looking in fullscreen and I came here to ask if there was something going on between them. Then I see im not the only one....

[@CraigMetalHead]

@waste0fspais Well, we know things such as where he was born, who his father was, who his wife was, his three children and whend he died, from these things alone we know the man existed. We know there was a free school quarter of a mile from his home, given that English law dictated curriculum he would be taught him how to read and write as well as Latin and Classic Literature and Studies.

[@billvandergriff2987]

This movie was a nine. Though I had to watch it ten times before I got it. About same amount of times I read Romeo and Juliette before I got it. Brilliant movie

[@MrAmmaccabanane97]

Yes, me too. You don't catch it the first time but the critics totally underestimate it.

[@amirdude]

@jeddawie Why is it disrespectful to Christy?

[@NoCommentChick]

Everybody knows Shakespeare was really Guy Fawkes, duh!

[@MattCipolla]

This review read my mind, and I actually had the exact same score as Christy.

[@iowacub1]

@1235788888 Sooo they're just on the trailer?

[@CraigMetalHead]

@waste0fspais There are many gaps in his history but simple logic shows he didnt have noteworthy parents so why would there be documentation of his life BEFORE he himself did something worthy of it? He was known of once he began acting and writing, so its not as though he was one of these "Before his time" artists... people knew who he was WHEN he was.

[@iowacub1]

So tempted to see this just because of the Radiohead...

[@kingoceanblu4445]

There are big Questions on if Shakespeare actually wrote his Work though...

[@Jeffhowardmeade]

Rad MovieGuy None based on any contrary evidence.

[@MrDragon1968]

I'm amused by the irony that a director - whose never made a credible film with a proper story and a bit of a hack - makes a film claiming other people who didn't have anywhere near the talent of Shakespeare were in fact 'Shakespeare'. Methinks the film probably tells us more about Roland Emmerich than anything else.

[@skyzefawlun]

@CalebAlucardtheHagan yeah, I've always gotten that vibe off their interactions as well. If so, even more respect for Ben, whom I've always really liked and enjoyed despite him catching a lot of hate for his snarky attitude and condescending tone in many of his pieces. While I'm not gonna lie and say I'm not a little bit jealous, the two of them do make an awesome couple, as I think they've got great chemistry and really challenge each other on screen. If they aren't... maybe they should ;)

[@WarThug13]

@CalebAlucardtheHagan I hear that over and over, what is giving you that idea? I dont see it.

[@ShakespeareChannel]

This is a really good review. Please also take a look at the first part of my amateur documentary, The Real Edward de Vere on my channel about the life of the real Earl of Oxford played by Rhys Ifans in the movie.

[@PassTheMarmalade1957]

This film looked great - Production style was awesome. The story itself was....okay. It jumped around a bit too much, and I also wasn't quite sure just why it was so vitally important in the end that the 'pretence' that Shakespeare was the real author of the plays was kept going. Plus, the queen of England hiding multiple pregnancies?....Yeah, like that's believable!

[@CalebAlucardtheHagan]

@Hamhark98 And your point is . . . ? :P

[@BracoKajevic]

@CalebAlucardtheHagan How is that related to...anything ? :D

[@MrDragon1968]

Glad to be of service. I suspect Shakespeare is amused as well.

[@jeddawie]

@CenkIsAdorable nothing really. just the comment seemed inappropriate. Being a "what the flick" fan, had to say something :)

[@JacksInn]

I hate it when I wake up sucking a lemon.

[@waste0fspais]

@CraigMetalHead actually Shakespeare is one of the only case's where authorship is challenged, probably because there is very little evidence he was a writer in the first place except for the name Shakespeare which could have very well been a pseudonym, in fact everything about the dude is murky there is no record of his education (maybe he wasn't educated true) or even of his death and no letters or any documents that where not poem's or pays survive. There are more records of Plato frankly

[@VeegovonDOOM]

Should a person who doesn't care about Shakespeare at all see it?

[@unicornnightmare]

"Who was who" is correct. ("Who was whom" isn't.)

[@omaragatha]

I figured out who was who!!! and this is my first seeing this but i know the theory!

[@rbrtchng]

@CalebAlucardtheHagan I doubt it. Ben is still trying to flirt too much. If he's got the prize, he doesn't need to work for it anymore.

[@CraigMetalHead]

@waste0fspais Did I say it wasnt? I said the conspiracies rely heavily upon the presumption that EVERYONE wo isnt aristocracy... etc. Not even ONE man could slip through their claws to achieve success above his station without a bunch of them claiming it was their husband or whomever. I was not claiming ever pauper was a freaking genius waiting to be discovered.

[@zzJayBoy]

@ArtemisMS In the movie they explained that he could read but not write

[@waste0fspais]

@gorypleasure oh here we go....I wasnt saying ALL non-aristocrats, the clergy and the emerging middle class where educated, well most where anyway but 90+% of ppl where still living off land, now there has been a big debate on the authorship of Shakespeare's work and this movie addresses it, it doesn't mean its true however. And no its not an insult to the 99.999% of people who are not aristocrats its a work of fiction.

[@jeddawie]

@amirdude because she's a married woman and got a kid according to her wiki bio.

[@arad7613]

Shakespeare's plays are too entertaining and vulgar to be written by a nobleman. They were clearly the product of someone who came "from the people" (like almost all other great works of art).

[@MpowerdAPE]

roland emmerit is a walking enema of obvious. put him in the list with michael bay.

[@ReturnOfTheJ.D.]

It resiphons Shakespeare.

[@CooperLordOfAll]

MAKEOUT!

[@sislertx]

The guy from Stratford didnt write anything...and its likely he could not even read

[@dafttool]

Wonder twins activate fist bump

[@Abumussabdf2]

Excelente...

[@CalebAlucardtheHagan]

@eagles980 Wow. Chillax, dude.

[@omaragatha]

HAHAHAHAAA!!! Oh my god... hay is it weird that i've known all along.... but again i've always been cynical! one time i thought my entire family was a figment of my imagination... or wished anyways!

[@leebrandt33]

Christy, you owe me $12 bucks for giving Martha Marcy May Marlene a 10. That movie wasted my time and money.

[@amirdude]

@CalebAlucardtheHagan lool, lets get it onnnnnn

[@kevdav63]

Think I'll just see Shakespeare in Love again rather than this flick.

[@Lawrd.Rivguz]

Wow she has huuuge arms!

[@jonhoog]

wow great editing on the review, they didn't even give their scores

[@idontgiveafaboutyou]

The movie was quite good. It was clearly historical fiction, not fact you people.

[@idontgiveafaboutyou]

*proven fact actually

[@metubegirl01]

Wendy Hull, Actually, aside from the queen having a relationship with Edward and of course the Shakespearean twist at the end, all of the characters, were in fact historically correct both in their depiction and interaction. A solid basis in Tudor history makes this marvelous film exceptional!

[@metubegirl01]

Also, this review sucked!

[@JPFerraccio]

jane mullis oh, that's so wrong: none of the characters were portrayed accurately, Marlowe was not murdered by Shakespeare, several people were depicted as being alive after they died, Richard 2 was the play commissioned at the start of the Essex rebellion , not Richard 3. Ugh.

[@bigvato20]

This movie was awesome.

[@MegaGiants11]

@CalebAlucardtheHagan lol

[@floorbrat20thirteen]

the more you watch it the better it gets for sure

[@billvandergriff2987]

Larry Dennewith I've watched it 100 times I bet

[@FFFFFE]

Marisela

[@billvandergriff2987]

Watch tyt election night coverage. Now that's a comical hit.

[@saintsaens21]

@CalebAlucardtheHagan you're hilarious :)

[@humorshqip5170]

American taste in arts sucks. It's lucky that Nobel Prize is an European award because I would kill myself if somebody would give a Nobel to Dan Brown or Danielle Steel, because that's what Americans adore. You like triviality in every art: music, literature and film.

[@christopherknox]

Not this American! Sadly, however, I must concede your point about my countrymen.

[@kisurfer]

So they gave the film an average score because they were too stupid to understand it?

[@jeddawie]

@CalebAlucardtheHagan Dude, if you enjoy Christy's damn good reviews and like her professional work, it is very DISRESPECTFUL and uncool to talk about her like the way you do. Grow up.

[@CraigMetalHead]

Those conspiracies about Shakespeare are incredibly offensive to anyone who isnt aristocracy... it relies heavily upon the presumption that anyone outside of the aristocracy was just too simple-minded and couldnt have written these works.

[@satanlover134]

Anti astratfurdians hate your rights :)

[@saratomsky6471]

This movie sucks

[@satanlover134]

Please plese dont humor this bullshit

[@richie711vegas]

I loved this movie! Very well done. Critics are morons