Much Ado About Something – A Look at “Much Ado About Nothing”

[Last week, friend of ASM Jay Wahl was able to attend an advance screening of Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing. He wrote this special report for ASM.]

Much Ado About Something

 

muchadoMost of us reading this are familiar with Joss Whedon through many of his sci-fi ventures: “Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” “Angel,” “Dollhouse,” “Firefly” and Serenity, “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog,” Alien: Resurrection, Cabin In The Woods, and The Avengers, just to name… well, most of them.

Back in 2011, Joss decided, at the urging of his wife, that he should finally pursue his dream project.  This is where the plan for filming his rendition of Much Ado About Nothing finally came about.  Gathering the assistance of many of the actors that he’s worked with over the years, Whedon was able to put together a cast that, in his mind, could pull off this realization of his dream and have a hit on his hands.

Ultimately, he was right.

Filmed entirely in black and white and on location at his Santa Monica home, Whedon was able to take the original play and breathe new life into it.  The home is gorgeous, and the rooms and courtyards are used to full effect to make the areas well suited for the various scenes, playing well to the actors needs in the various scenes.  In addition, the use of black and white adds to the feel of the play, offering a touch of the classic to be mixed in with the modern.

In Whedon’s version of Much Ado About Nothing, we see a number of people milling about, preparing for the visit of someone important and the upcoming party.  Their attire is modern, handguns are their weapons of choice, and we soon realize that we are seeing interactions within a crime family.  Given the use of titles such as prince, count, and don within the original play, it’s a fitting update to make the lines work in a modern day setting.

Since the film is placed in a modern day setting, it does seem to be a little jarring that the lines have been unaltered, much like in the 1996 version of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, with some of the actors lines seeming wooden and forced.  Again, we see where Whedon has chosen well with his actors.  Where the lines may seem forced, as realistically would be expected if you were to be speaking in non-rhyming iambic pentameter, we note the actors counter that with the non-verbal and make the lines their own, fully portraying the feeling intended by the lines with their expressions and stance.  Surprisingly enough, I noticed this more often with the men, particularly Clark Gregg, than I did with the women, who all managed to make their lines flow smoothly and naturally.  But once you get into the film, this isn’t anywhere near the initial distraction that it was for me.

As for the rest of the cast, Sean Maher is brilliantly placed as Don John, the protagonist, who oozes sleaze while maintaining an air of respect about him.  Alexis Denisof and Amy Acker truly work well together as adversaries-turned-lovers Benedick and Beatrice, and clearly portray the love that they share that’s buried beneath their apparent dislike for the other.  And the casting of Nathan Fillion as Dogberry is inspired.  Using the man best known for his role as Captain Malcolm Reynolds in a role known for its “mal”-apropisms?  Whether it was intentional for that very reason or not, I must say well done, Joss.  Well done, indeed.

Overall, we have something here that works.  The acting, the cinematography, the pacing, the setting…  It all meshes and manages to complement each other nicely.  It makes for an entertaining and relaxed viewing, best shared with others that would appreciate not only the works of Shakespeare, but for someone that appreciates Whedon’s work as well.