Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1990)

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Rosencrantz	Gary Oldman
Guildenstern	Tim Roth	½
The Player	Richard Dreyfuss
Hamlet	Iain Glen
Polonius	Ian Richardson
Ophelia	Joanna Roth

Review

This narrow film certainly isn't for everyone, but then again, it never was meant to be. Tom Stoppard adaps his own play in his one and only turn in the director's chair. The outcome could have been better. To a large extent, we get the clever comedy and the delightful playfulness of the conversations between our two leads as they drag us through philosophical and existential twaddle or truths (depending on your point of view) on their quest to find out what's going on with Hamlet - and ultimately themselves. The genius of Stoppard's play is how it constantly balances between the poetic, the brilliant and the nonsensical. Shakespeareans will enjoy the film version as well, but doubtingly to the same extent as they did the play. The reason is this: Stoppard cannot seem to bring his film the vitality and vigour it needs. The film works best when Tim Roth and an inspired Gary Oldman are left alone to ponder their existence, but comes off as too stagey in many of the narratively conclusive parts, making it a tiring and overlong experience.