Much Ado About Nothing

Kenneth Branagh's bracing adaptation of "Much Ado About Nothing" transplants the Bard's wit and wordplay to a sun-drenched Italianate setting. Hero and Claudio's whirlwind romance is cleverly contrived by Don Pedro, setting the stage for the titular skirmish between Benedick and Beatrice, whose verbal sparring and mutual disdain are a joy to behold. Yet, beneath the frothy banter, Don John's malicious machinations threaten to sabotage not just the wedding, but the fragile bonds of trust and affection that bind these characters together.