ALL IS TRUE – Rated PG-13 – 1 hr. 41 mins. 

This review is brought to you by Kathy Kaiser

“Branagh’s performance is more mesmerizingly beautiful with each passing frame!”  Kathy Kaiser, matineechat.com

ALL IS TRUE – Rated PG-13 – 1 hr. 41 mins. 

DIRECTOR: Kenneth Branagh 

WRITTEN BY:  Ben Elton 

STARRING:  Kenneth Branagh, Judi Dench, Kathryn Wilder, Lydia Wilson, Sam Ellis and Ian McKellan

Distraught over the burning of a play house during one of his productions, William Shakespeare (Kenneth Branagh) finds himself returning home, to live out his days with his wife Anne (Judi Dench), and surviving children Judith (Kathryn Wilder) and Susannah (Lydia Wilson).  Having never truly mourned the loss of his only son Hamnet (Sam Ellis), Shakespeare finds his life in complete disarray, as the women in his life are less than amenable to his arrival in their lives, nor his attempt to finally mourn the loss of son, so many years removed.

Shakespeare also soon finds that his decision to no longer write is sucking the life right out of him, just as much his decision to try to place himself back into the lives of those that have longed for his love and affections for far too long…

And when alas it seems that Shakespeare’s days on this earth are numbered, he must come to terms with own shortcomings, while trying to devise a plan that will provide for his family, even when he is no longer here to provide for them…

I give ALL IS TRUE a rating of MUST SEE ON THE BIG SCREEN:  Venturing back to the 1600 England may not intrigue many people to rush out to the theater this weekend, but once you see what Kenneth Branagh has created, you will be glad that you took a chance on this beautiful film, based on the final days of the most world renowned Poet, Playwright, and Actor. Branagh’s performance throughout is absolutely superb, as he seems to channel William Shakespeare throughout each passing frame. This performance is definitely one of his best, and most profound, as he draws you into the life and times of this extraordinarily talented, yet extremely tormented individual.  Dench is also perfectly cast as Shakespeare’s older, and somewhat stoic companion, adding another wonderful performance to her repertoire with this film too.  Writer Ben Elton also did a fabulous job, expressing the arrogance, yet sympathetic nature of the greatest playwright of all time.  Extraordinary too along the way, was the incredible cinematography throughout, dropping you deep into the English countryside, and into a world so perfectly crafted, you feel as if you have been transported back to Circa 1600 England, without any effort at all.  And once you add in the fabulous performances by Wilder and Wilson, playing Shakespeare’s surviving daughters throughout the film, you end up with one incredibly moving ~ and profoundly enjoyable movie experience ~ that surprisingly, even my 19-year-old daughter completely enjoyed.  The only negative thing for me within the entire film was it’s slow start…but if you can make it through the first fifteen minutes, and you allow  this film to totally engross all your senses, you will be glad that you gave ALL IS TRUE a glance this weekend, at a theater near you!