In 14th Century England, this tale of murder and mystery follows a fugitive priest who falls in with a troupe of actors. As they Arrive in a small town, the actors encounter a woman bing sentenced to death for practicing witchcraft and murder. Discarding the expected bible stories, the actors stage a performance based on the crime. Through the performance of the play, they discover a mystery.
Celebrates the craft of acting both in its story and in fine performances by Paul Bettany, Willem Dafoe and Brian Cox.
– Carla Meyer,
San Francisco Chronicle,
19 Mar 2004
fresh:
An ambitious, energetic and wholly satisfying movie about the dawn of dramatic and personal freedom and much more.
– Tom Long,
Detroit News,
25 Mar 2004
fresh:
A thoughtful, clever and well-acted diversion.
– Terry Lawson,
Detroit Free Press,
26 Mar 2004
fresh:
It's not Shakespeare in Love, and it really has no third act, but there's wonder in the scenes of theatrical invention, of theater being made up on the spot, a play in the making.
– Roger Moore,
Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar 2004
fresh:
After a first hour slowed by exposition and a good deal of extraneous subplot development, the story catches fire in the second hour and keeps you engrossed.