Starring Alexis Denisof, Amy Acker
Directed by Joss Whedon
Those unfamiliar with Joss Whedon's work outside of The Avengers will undoubtedly be shocked to see that his follow-up to that mega-blockbuster is a micro-budget, black-and-white Shakespeare adaptation. For longtime fans, this development is hardly surprising. As they well know, the writer-director has been inviting his cast members over to his place for informal Shakespeare readings since the later seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
This beguiling feature film feels very much like a natural extension of one of those shindigs, flourishing not only because of the players' familiarity with the material but also with one another. Set in the modern day but preserving all of the original text, Whedon's Much Ado is filmed in his own Beverly Hills home and stocked with alumni from his dearly departed television series. Taking centre stage as the bickering Benedick and Beatrice are Angel's Alexis Denisof and Amy Acker, who are offered ample opportunity to flaunt their comedic chops (which, in Denisof's case, include an aptitude for Peter Sellers-indebted pratfalls).
With its depictions of revelry, egotism, and impetuousness, the Bard's play lends itself exceptionally well to a contemporary Los Angeles setting. Likewise, its rapid-fire put-downs are tailor-made for Whedon, who's often had to rely on his wits and witty one-liners to compensate for meagre budgets. Here, he exudes the sense of a filmmaker still riding the high of scoring his dream job (that aforementioned Avengers gig), throwing a killer party to celebrate, and inviting all of his old friends be they on-screen or seated in front of it to attend. As Benedick exclaims, Man is a giddy thing. In this case, that giddiness is infectious.
