The writings of William Shakespeare are celebrated all over the world. He has been called a genius of his craft and considered by many to be the best playwright in history. However, there are theories out there that insist Shakespeare did not write one single thing. The thought of Shakespeare never creating Romeo & Juliet, Hamlet, or Julius Caesar seems preposterous. Yet there are conspiracy theorists out there who believe just that and I would assume director Roland Emmerich may be one of them. He uses Anonymous to present a scenario that explores the idea of who the “real” Shakespeare was and who really might be behind some of the most renowned literature to ever exist.
Starting out as a play in present time New York and soon traveling back to the Elizabethan era, Anonymous introduces us to Edward de Vere (Rhys Ifans), the 17th Earl of Oxford. He is the man who supposedly wrote all of the famous plays and poems, but due to his status and having almost all forms of creative writing be considered the devil’s work, he was forced to keep it a secret. But he wants/needs his plays to be seen by the public in order to start an uprising against William Cecil (David Thewlis) and his son Robert (Edward Hogg), two guys who are always in the ear of Queen Elizabeth (Vanessa Redgrave).
Edward wants to see his stories come to life, but at the same time, he wants to use the power of words in order to send a message and get a reaction. He recruits Ben Jonson (Sebastian Armesto), a young, unsuccessful playwright, to put the plays in to action and perform them in front of an audience. However, Jonson has his doubts and his acting buddy, Will Shakespeare (Rafe Spall), inserts himself into the spotlight and steals the credit. Things only get messier from there.
Emmerich is famous for destroying the world (Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow, 2012). This time, there are very few explosions and no wave of destruction whatsoever. So this is definitely a change of pace for him. He shows great restraint with this film, and the story isn’t full of distractions and is able to unfold, as do the twists and turns. Anonymous is historical entertainment and probably possesses a few facts, but still remains a story of fiction in the end. I am sure Emmerich would like to have people convinced, but that likely will not happen. He does present a fascinating and intriguing story about the “what if” of the Bard and his work.
The film not only has beautiful imagery and grand-scale sets that will leave the audience in awe, but the performances will captivate as well. Ifans is terrific as the 17th Earl of Oxford. Edward is full of flaws, but is shown at a young age to have the passion to write no matter how taboo it was. And while the jumping back and forth between time can be a little bit confusing, we do get to see how Edward became the man he is and the secrets he carries with him. Some of his past deals with the Queen herself, and Redgrave plays the older Elizabeth with such power, grace, and fierceness. At times, it is easy to forget that she is a human being as well and that she has been in love before and has her own hidden truths that haunt her.
Anonymous is complex and some will see it as just plain ridiculous. Nevertheless, all of the lies, corruption, betrayal, and lust for power will not only entertain, but will get and keep your attention. My advice is to go in and watch it for what it truly is: A good costume drama with great surprises and even better performances. Do this and you will leave more than satisfied.
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
Check out the SoBros Shop. Become a Patron. Give us money for no reason. Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter @SoBrosNetwork. Watch on YouTube.
