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In 16th century Venice, in order to win a woman's heart, Bassanio is forced to make a deadly deal with pitiless moneylender Shylock (Al Pacino). Bassanio will get his money, and without paying interest. If he doesn't pay it back, however, he will owe Shylock a pound of his flesh.
We see what an actor's actor Pacino can be: he's careful and watchful; respectful of other actors' timing; and says his lines perfectly, resisting all temptation to grandstand.
A richly cinematic and robust rendition of Shakespeare's pre-political correctness play about the place of Jews in anti-Semitic 16th century Venice, Michael Radford's film takes delight in dramatics thus pulling us into the story.
A vivid, engrossing and defensible Shakespeare adaptation, a period piece that truly has a feel for a time long past -- and a place and attitude that are not.
February 25, 2005
Variety
Pacino is at least dynamic, something harder to say about the women in the cast.
It tilts so far in one direction that the comic elements seem to come from another, lesser film.
September 26, 2005
Arizona Republic
Radford has rendered off the comedy to find the dramatic skeleton underneath. It is an approach that works stunningly well and is perhaps the only way the play can now be done.