More Strange Than True

Here's the truth - this film is hardly an adaptation, though it never claims to be. It is, instead, listed as being 'inspired by' the play. And that is what it does brilliantly.

Have you ever seen a Shakespeare rendering so bizarre it almost reinvigorates the idea of staging the plays, or their stories for that matter? Who would have ever thought of double exposing A Midsummer Night's Dream in a darkly set wood with stark flashlights?

This film achieves much more than one could expect from a low-budget indie - its both bold in terms of style, and sharply written: hitting notes of youthful escapades, cinephile film references, and brashly feminist with its approach to tackling the ideals of marriages and pressures young people have to grow up. And the cast throw themselves into their roles brilliantly, absorbing the madness with their scenes.

People complaining about how this film is cheap, or is a bad staging of the play, aren't getting it. Its an experiment, not a big budget Hollywood event for the popcorn viewers.

Sure, its a far shot from a classic, or even a great film, but it is really original. And for that, and its special technological look - one which appears almost like an art instillation, I think it earns high appraisal.