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�����Alright, I am a huge Shakespeare fan. � I've read and seen so many of his plays. So perhaps I may be judging this film too harshly.� But I was really disappointed.� I have seen better high school productions of Midsummer's than this film.� The main thing that I don't understand in many productions, especially in movies, is why people feel the need to change Shakespeare.� This man obviously knew what he was doing, yet people believe that their changes will improve on his almost perfect plays.� Alright, I will concede that yes, sometimes the changes do work.� This is very rare, but yes, sometimes they do.� I also understand the reason for cutting scenes shorter.� It's understanding that today people have shorter attention spans than the people in Shakespeare's time.� However, I must say that so many of the changes and cuttings in this movie were terrible.

��� Alright, my first complaint.� It's a very basic one and it didn't get on my nerves too much.� There is a lot of sexuality in this version. � A bunch of nude people trying to, or actually having sex.� Alright, I know that Shakespeare's plays are full of sexual innuendo, however, I don't think he actually meant for people to be having sex on stage.� Also, this alienates a large part of your potential audience.� Now the movie becomes inappropriate for children.� I believe that Shakespeare is wonderful for any age, especially the comedies.� Yes, Macbeth might be a little too violent for the kiddies, but Comedy of Errors and A Midsummer Night's Dream could easily be fun for younger people.

��� Ok, my next complaint is for the casting director.� What was he/she thinking?� First problem with casting...Rupert Everett.� He plays Oberon. � Anyone who is familiar with this play knows that Oberon is a dark brooding, usually large man.� He is very gruff and scary.� Rupert Everett with his clean look and high polished English accent and his fair skin is not who I would've had in mind.

��� Also, when you cast Oberon...you need to pay close attention to the casting of Puck.� Puck should be the star of this show.� He has extremely funny lines/scenes.� He is especially humorous when he is on stage with Oberon.� Puck is usually cast as a small, younger, little guy who can easily be pushed around.� He is supposed to be Oberon's lap dog who fears his wrath and therefore he is very obedient. � However, Stanley Tucci is who they picked for puck.� Probably late 30's early 40's fellow.� He appears to be the same age, if not older than Oberon and he's balding.� Um, ok, again, not quite sure what was going through the casting directors mind.

��� Now, I don't want to completely lay into he/she.� I was remarkably surprised by Calista Flockheart.� I admit, I am not one of the Ally McBeal fans out there, so when I heard she was in this I didn't have any desire to see it. � She plays Hermia, the love sick loser.� She did a WONDERFUL job and I thought that she made the film a lot better.

��� Also, Michelle Pfeiffer pulled in a decent performance as Titania. � However, I must disagree with most of the critics.� I think that Kevin Kline was not good as Bottom.� In fact I thought he was pretty weak.� Now I'm not sure whether or not to blame this on him or the director.� He seemed overly melodramatic the entire time.� I didn't find Bottom's character nearly as funny as he should be.

��� The next problem I saw with this movie is the changes they made with the story.� The main one that stuck out to me was the depth that they gave Bottom's character.� For anyone who is familiar with the play, you know that Bottom is a slapstick character.� He is the idiot of the show who is funny simply because he doesn't know how dumb he is.� He is like the Phoebe character on Friends. � However, in this version they make him very conscious of his life and his surroundings.� This doesn't make the movie better, it makes it depressing.� Now the audience sees that Bottom is not happy.� He is sad and that just brings the whole thing down.

��� The next problem is really just one little deal but it made me so mad.� Puck has a soliliquoy at the end of the play.� It may be one of the best known ones in all of Shakespeare.� It's the one that is quoted in Dead Poets' Society.� Anyway, it is a wonderful speech and not only do they take lines out of it (and it's not a very long speech to begin with), they also split it up in order to cut to Bottom staring off at Titania longingly.� Ok, noone cares about Bottom. � The speech loses its entire effect when they did that.� Terrible change, terrible!

��� So, after reading all this, I'm sure you're wondering why I gave the movie such a good grade.� Well, the supporting cast was pretty good.� The sets were interesting and after all, this is Shakespeare, you can't screw him up that much.