Anonymous

Editorial

Roland Emmerich’s take on the bard works as a very far-fetched "what if?" It posits that Will Shakespeare (Rafe Spall) was not actually the author of the works that bear his name. Egad! They were, it is suggested here, written by the 17th Earl Of Oxford (Rhys Ifans), who couldn’t publish them himself because writing plays was a bit common. This is a conceit that literally goes all the way up to the president… well, the Queen. It’s completely preposterous but works within its own crazy logic. However, while the story holds some water, the tone and performances are completely mismatched. Ifans suffers elegantly, but Spall is apparently in a bawdy romp and Vanessa Redgrave is looking for scenery to devour.

A curveball from the man who made 2012 and Independence Day and probably only a brief respite for the world's major cities. It's more of an interesting curio to a blockbuster career but there's fun to be had here if you look hard enough.

Phil de Semlyen