Much Ado About Nothing

If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, Much Ado About Nothing is available in Australia on Amazon Prime Video and Rialto Amazon Channel, and in the US on Amazon Prime Video and Kanopy right now. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. With 816 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Emma Thompson is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. Put it on tonight on Amazon Prime Video and see for yourself.

Much Ado About Nothing arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. The jokes in Much Ado About Nothing land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. In this Shakespearean farce, Hero and her groom-to-be, Claudio, team up with Claudio's commanding officer, Don Pedro, the week before their wedding to hatch a matchmaking scheme. Their targets are sharp-witted duo Benedick and Beatrice -- a tough task indeed, considering their corresponding distaste for love and each other. Meanwhile, meddling Don John plots to ruin the wedding. Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1993. The timing in Much Ado About Nothing is precise enough that even the throwaway lines land on a second watch. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Comedy fans looking for a reliably funny watch will find it in Much Ado About Nothing. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Emma Thompson sets the tone, but the supporting cast is where a lot of the best moments come from. A reliable pick for any night you want quality comedy without the homework.