Anonymous (2011)
I think that most of my enjoyment of this film was the fact that I'm a former English major who has always been fascinated by the true authorship of Shakespeare's plays (though honestly I never actually took the time to research different theories). What I found interesting was that this tale assumes that Edward De Vere, Earl of Oxford was the true Bard and that he wanted his work to be portrayed under a pseudonym so as not to expose his political motives. Also interesting
was the concept of plays being blasphemous and treasonous (purposefully) as I think that one of the great purposes of art is to undermine and expose authority.
Where they lost me a bit was in a rather convoluted storyline involving bastards and incest to the point of being a bit too obvious and not really believable. Also it was definitely self-conscious and over-wrought. And we change time periods quite a few times which is disorienting and not successful. Admittedly, though I did like the love story, and understand that these are all nods to Elizabethan times and Shakespearean sub-plots.
Part of me just thinks that it could have been a lot better, if say it had been penned by Thom Stoppard and perhaps directed by Shekhar Kapur. There was a LOT that I liked and the acting was truly superb... There were just parts that I had a hard time suspending my disbelief.
I'm glad I finally saw it, though.