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Movies / Upcoming / A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream

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A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999)

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Reviews Counted:74

Fresh:50

Rotten:24

Average Rating:6.3/10

Consensus: Faultless production and shining performances display the Bard's talent propitiously.

Runtime: 2 hrs

Genre: Comedies

US Box Office: $0

Synopsis: Michael Hoffman's film adaptation of Shakespeare's magical comedy of a love-tangled quadrangle shimmers with sumptuous cinematography and a truly stellar cast that includes Kevin Kline, Michelle... Michael Hoffman's film adaptation of Shakespeare's magical comedy of a love-tangled quadrangle shimmers with sumptuous cinematography and a truly stellar cast that includes Kevin Kline, Michelle Pfeiffer, Stanley Tucci, Rupert Everett, Calista Flockhart, and Sam Rockwell. Relocated from Athens to an Italian villa, the film follows the romantic misadventures of four would-be lovers; at the beginning of the film Helena loves Demetrius who loves Hermia who loves Lysander, but all of that undergoes a change when the four young people chase each other into the woods and wander into the domain of Oberon and Titania (King and Queen of the Fairies), and the mischievous magic of Puck who possesses a flower that causes people to fall in love with the first person they encounter. Into the hilarity and confusion stumble a hapless band of laborers rehearsing a play for the Duke's wedding. One of the band, Nick Bottom, a humble weaver, is given the head of donkey and then, through the power of the flower, wins the love of Titania herself. After a dizzying whirl of magic, mayhem, and a million minor follies of the heart, everything is sorted out and everyone finds, at last, their match. [More]

Starring: Kevin Kline, Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Everett, Calista Flockhart

Starring: Kevin Kline, Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Everett, Calista Flockhart, Stanley Tucci, Anna Friel, Christian Bale, Dominic West, David Strathairn, Sophie Marceau, Roger Rees, Bernard Hill, Bill Irwin, Sam Rockwell, John Sessions, Max Wright, Gregory Jbara

Director: Michael Hoffman

Director: Michael Hoffman
Story: William Shakespeare
Producer: Leslie Urdang
Composer: Simon Boswell

[See More Credits]

Reviews for A Midsummer Night's Dream

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1 - 20 (sorted by fresh rating; Australian critics are listed first)
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N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: In Film Australia | comment Comment
01/01/00
Luke Buckmaster
Luke Buckmaster
In Film Australia
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Pfeiffer and Everett make convincing fairy overlords!

Full Review Source: E! Online | comment Comment
01/01/00
E! Online

Flockhart's delivery of the Shakespeare lines is faultless, her energy level charged, and her charm considerable as she pursues her beloved, Demetrius.

Full Review Source: culturevulture.net | comment Comment
01/01/00
Arthur Lazere
Arthur Lazere
culturevulture.net

With the finely timed comedic performances of, most notably, Kevin Kline and Stanley Tucci, one can't help but [laugh].

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
01/01/00
Dainon Moody
Dainon Moody
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

A sweet springtime surprise!

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
01/01/00
Dan Jardine
Dan Jardine
Apollo Guide

The movie adds delicate beauty to what we already consider a rollicking Shakespearean comedy.

Full Review Source: Cinemaphile.org | comment Comment
01/01/00
David Keyes
David Keyes
Cinemaphile.org

After watching William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, I'm left with more admiration than fairy dust.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
01/01/00
Desson Thomson
Desson Thomson
Washington Post
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Intermittently enjoyable!

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
01/01/00
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The first two-thirds of the movie is entertaining in spots, but flat as a pancake in others.

Full Review Source: Houston Community Newspapers | comment Comment
01/01/00
Gary Brown
Gary Brown
Houston Community Newspapers

Kline shines!

comment Comment
01/01/00
Gary Thompson
Gary Thompson
Philadelphia Daily News

Te movie comes awfully close to being a dream production.

Full Review Source: Compuserve | comment Comment
01/01/00
Harvey S. Karten
Harvey S. Karten
Compuserve

A funny, thoughtful, easy to follow and lovely to see!

Full Review Source: Rochester Democrat and Chronicle | comment Comment
01/01/00
Jack Garner
Jack Garner
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

Sufficiently contemporary and fresh!

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
01/01/00
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Q Network Film Desk | comment Comment
02/27/01
James Kendrick
James Kendrick
Q Network Film Desk

Bathed in sunshine, stardust and star power, this 'Dream' should be required viewing for anyone who insists Shakespeare is stuffy and dull. ...this is Shakespeare for the masses.

Full Review Source: Kalamazoo Gazette | comment Comment
08/05/07
James Sanford
James Sanford
Kalamazoo Gazette

If there is sacrilege afoot, I'm not enough of a scholar to spot it.

Full Review Source: Houston Chronicle | comment Comment
07/21/05
Jeff Millar
Jeff Millar
Houston Chronicle

It has fun and makes you laugh.

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
06/03/06
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

A well-crafted film!

Full Review Source: Norman Transcript | comment Comment
01/01/00
Jim Chastain
Jim Chastain
Norman Transcript

What joy to hear an entire film audience roar with glee at Moonshine, Lion and Wall.

Full Review Source: Palo Alto Weekly | comment Comment
05/20/03
Jim Shelby
Jim Shelby
Palo Alto Weekly

...even sapped of some of its magic, much of the story's poetry remains.

Full Review Source: DVDTown.com | comment Comment
04/08/01
John J. Puccio
John J. Puccio
DVDTown.com
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by fresh rating; Australian critics are listed first)
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