timboyork Despite being accompanied by some very fine actors and receiving some excellent advice, Mr Pacino turns a fine tragedy into an unintended comedy. He is clearly illiterate and ego-driven, a fatal combination when approaching the finest of all literary works. His performance mimics English actors - cadences, tonality and let's not forget iambic pentameter (could he even spell it?) - from the likes of Olivier, Gielgud, Burton ... Perhaps he was convinced that a switch of genre could work by Gielgud's triumph in Arthur and Burton's successes. Perhaps not. He seems at odds with the plot and language of the play throughout. So, why try? We are left to guess. Unfortunately, he simply makes himself ridiculous. You're very good at what you know, Al. But, you don't know this play, buddy.

rabyhook A wonderful film in my experience. An American team of players and directors trying to dig into the material of an unpopular play by Shakespeare, telling the story of one of the least popular kings in the chain of kings. Richard III. To follow the search for the soul in this play, and to try to understand the story, is the object of these persons' hunt. Al Pacino is Pacino, walking around in baggy clothes being Pacino Himself. Still, he manage to always be intensely interested in digging into the bones of the story. Maybe he don't success truly in this, still he manage to show the sentral scenes of this play in a dramatic new and powerful way. The scenes of this film switch between artists reading in modern environments, interwievs with British Shakespearian educated players, and scenes with full dramatic costumes. From Richard III in this film, one of the scenes that made me shiver was the one where Richard pretends to be "hexed" by some people close to him, and get people in his own ranks to be arrested and executed, in pure paranoia, or just to get rid of them. From that scene and on he went to his own undergang. Al Pacino is turning into this pathetic, mean man, a hunchback in this play as well (according to history). In the end, Richard stand alone, and cry for "A horse!!!!" ....."My kingdom for a horse ...". And in this scene Pacino manage to show the downfall of Richard. Even if the play failes to tell why the Tudors killed him. This film is about the play by the Bard. Not a history lesson.I should explain much better why I love this film so much. It's hard for me to explain the feeling this film gave me, and to my old parents. We knew the play, we have The Complete Works. But would never be snobbish about Shakespeare. I can't give a better explanation than this film showed me clever, extremely gifted people doing a very decent and heartfelt, even not brilliant, peace of work. I love it.

Alain English "Looking For Richard" is Al Pacino's monument to William Shakespeare. By taking the audience inside rehearsals for a production of one of the Bard's most famous plays, Richard III, the actor comprehensibly dissects the text and makes the play come alive.For me, in one respect, "Looking For Richard" is a disappointment. By taking the audience through the play like this, rather than actually just putting the play on screen he deprives us of what could have been a great Shakespearean performance. The snatches we see of him performing the role of King Richard by far outmatch his other on-screen Shakespeare, Shylock in "The Merchant of Venice".Pacino takes us through the play act by act in a filmed production of it. This includes discussions with his fellow producers and also the popular actors he brings on board with him, among them Alec Baldwin, Winona Ryder and Kevin Spacey. He also visits Stratford-Upon-Avon, Shakespeare's birthplace, and also London, at the site of the reconstruction of the writer's Globe Theatre.Memorable highlights include a breakdown of iambic pentameter (that's something you don't see every day) as well discussions of Shakespeare with connisseurs like John Gielgud, Kenneth Branagh and Peter Brook.Without any of the expletives for which Pacino is famous in his roles, "Looking For Richard" could easily be an educational picture as well as family entertainment. I long to see Pacino come here to London and do some Shakespeare for real.As it stands, this comes thoroughly recommended to Shakespeare buffs and newcomers alike.

a_longfield Shakespeare In Love? Mr. Pacino et al are in love with Shakespeare, truly, madly, deeply and thank God for that. While Canada's Stratford Festival began fifty-two years ago with decidedly Royal Shakespeare Company pretensions, while searching for its audience, voice and unique identity, (Alec Guinness opened the Festival in 1953 with a brilliant Richard III)it has staged some incredible interpretations of the canon with performances by British, American, as well as then unknown young Canadian actors including Christopher Plummer and my God, in truth, I once watched a young kid named Wm. Shatner from Montreal literally inhabit Prince Hal in Henry IV, I and II, with dynamism, boldness, wit, intelligence and unbridled energy. In Canada, Stratford has near singlehandedly made Shakespeare accessible and understandable, without condescension, in part through its inexpensive programs tailored especially for schools and the near messianic spirit of making the majesty of Shakepeare's English intelligible, in essence transcending the four century 'divide' with visually stunning,sometimes controversial but most often gratifying entertainments. Kudos to Al Pacino and company for undertaking their quest in America. Looking For Richard is truly a revelation. I always suspected that beneath the Method breathed the soul of a great, but frustrated artist, who seemed always to be searching for ...himself? How absolutely courageous and generous of Al and his colleagues to invite to share in their journey of discovery. This is not and was not ever meant to be another film version of the play. It is about becoming...