Parent reviews for Shakespeare in Love

This is a great movie, but the nudity is the real spoiler. Watch the movie first before you let your children watch it. (And remember, the whole time that you are watching this movie, that Harvey Weinstein won an Academy Award as producer because of this picture. No doubt he had a hand in promoting the unnecessary nudity.)

Excellent for the context in Shakespearean times. One scene with nudity that can be handled with maturity in over 13+ age range. Mild by modern standards, this is a classic with lots of historical contexts put into a humorous and jolly romp that is worthy of the Shakespeares plays at the popup Globe. Would highly recommend.

This was fun but the sex scenes were rediculous and not necessary. That ruined the movie for me. It should be a classy fun family movie but spoiled it with the sex scenes.

Here are some positives: the Shakespearean dialogues were surprisingly entertaining, and the actors had excellent deliveries. The production design, including makeup, costuming, and the setting of the time, really is gorgeous. The story was entertaining, though the most problematic element of the film, the development of the love story, is where parents need to be warned. Will falls in love with Viola because of her impressive audition for a play, and within just weeks, maybe days, they spend a lot of time in the bedroom. Their sex scenes are erotic, and some include images of upper female nudity. But that's not all: when they first kiss, she's disguised as a man, and there's one scene where she is practicing the play disguised as a man and kisses Will. If and when younger audiences see these scenes and think about them in front of parents or other adults, they are more than likely going to have an awkward sitting for the rest of the film. Other scenes of concern include another couple having sex (with partial nudity), sexual references, a few scenes with drinking, an implied murder, a man whose feet are held over fire, and some sword menace. Overall though, I think this is a good movie; I just wouldn't watch it with teens or kids. 7.8/10

There is a LOT of sex in this movie, yet it distinguishes between mechanical coupling and the tender passionate lovemaking between Joseph Fiennes' Shakespeare and Gwyneth Paltrow as his high-born love. A rousing supporting cast, (Imelda Staunton, Judy Dench, Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Tom Wilkinson, Geoffrey Rush, and inexplicably, Ben Affleck) round out this heartfelt depiction of how love and poetry can touch even the hardest, most cynical heart.

this history of William Shakespear while he writes the Romeo and Juliet story shows a woman being strong and acting mature and favorable by the audience