--- title: "Much Ado About Nothing" year: 2013 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/much-ado-about-nothing-2013" fi1m_id: "much-ado-about-nothing-2013" imdb_id: "tt2094064" tmdb_id: 91739 wikidata_id: "Q3009047" fi1m_score: 76 critics_score: 78 critics_reviews: 19 published: "2026-09-21T21:04:03.028948+00:00" updated: "2026-09-21T21:04:14.177989+00:00" region: "BE" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Much Ado About Nothing (2013) Directed by Joss Whedon · 1h 49m · Comedy ## Identity Much Ado About Nothing - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/much-ado-about-nothing-2013 - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** much-ado-about-nothing-2013 - **IMDb ID:** tt2094064 - **TMDB ID:** 91739 - **Wikidata ID:** Q3009047 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2094064/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/91739, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3009047 **Fi1m score: 76** · Critics 78 from 19 reviews *In a sentence:* A Shakespeare comedy staged in a nice kitchen by actors who can hold a wine glass and a pentameter at the same time > Joss Whedon shoots Shakespeare in his own house, in black and white, with actors he trusts, and the result is the loosest screen Much Ado in years. Amy Acker is the reason to see it; the plot around Hero is why it does not quite fly. ## Synopsis Don Pedro (Reed Diamond) and his men arrive at the house of Leonato (Clark Gregg), a host who has offered them a month’s hospitality after business the film never explains. Among them are Claudio (Fran Kranz), who falls for Leonato’s daughter Hero (Jillian Morgese), and Benedick (Alexis Denisof), a sworn bachelor with history with Leonato’s niece Beatrice (Amy Acker): the film opens on him leaving her bed. Beatrice and Benedick trade insults across the kitchen. Don Pedro agrees to woo Hero for Claudio at a masked party. His brother Don John (Sean Maher), lately reconciled and still resentful, schemes with Borachio (Spencer Treat Clark) and Conrade (Riki Lindhome). Dogberry (Nathan Fillion) runs security. After the party, the household plots to trick Beatrice and Benedick into loving each other. ## Review Joss Whedon made this in the gap after *The Avengers*, in his own house, with actors he had worked with for years, and he shot it quickly and in black and white. It is modern dress: the men arrive in dark cars and darker suits, the women are in cocktail dresses, and the war Don Pedro has come home from is never explained. The idea is that the play is a house party with a plot, and for most of its 109 minutes the idea holds. It is the most likeable screen *Much Ado* since Kenneth Branagh’s, and it has the same soft spot Branagh’s had, in the story about Hero. Jay Hunter shoots the house as though nobody had seen one before. The light comes through big windows and lands on marble and glass, the pool sits flat and grey under a white sky, and the kitchen, where much of the plotting happens, has more worktop than most flats. Michele Yu and Cindy Chao had a furnished house to start from, and one conspiracy is hatched in what is plainly a child’s bedroom; the film does not comment. Shawna Trpcic puts the men in thin ties and the women in dresses that would do for a funeral or, with a change of shoes, a wedding. Now and then, in the handheld passages, it looks like an expensive wedding video, and we mean that as a mild complaint. Amy Acker is the reason to see it. Whedon opens with a scene the play does not have, wordless, of Benedick dressing and leaving Beatrice’s bed while she pretends to sleep, and Acker plays every line after that with that morning behind it. Her Beatrice is quick, tired and sore, and she is funny because she is the sharpest person in the house and knows it does her no good. There is a pratfall in the kitchen, during the plot to convince her Benedick loves her, that made us laugh out loud; then she picked herself up and spoke about taming her wild heart to his loving hand, and we found we had stopped laughing and could not say when. Alexis Denisof has the harder job, and for the first half hour he pushes at it. His eavesdropping is staged as garden farce, with press-ups, and what would read as timing from the back of a theatre reads as mugging from three feet away. We forgave it about the time he stopped trying to be funny and started listening to Acker, after which the pair are as good a Beatrice and Benedick as we have seen on screen in years. Nathan Fillion’s Dogberry is a head of security with an earpiece and complete faith in himself, and Fillion plays it dead straight, which is the only way it works. Clark Gregg’s Leonato hosts with the patience of a man whose house has been taken over, which, in a sense, it had. The trouble is the plot the comedy hangs from. Fran Kranz gives Claudio’s jealousy more conviction than the part usually gets, and Jillian Morgese’s Hero is sweet and given almost nothing to do, which is the play’s fault before it is hers. But a film set now asks us to accept that a woman’s future turns on what a man thinks he saw from a window one night. Whedon shoots that stretch straight, and it does not hurt the way it should; through the second half’s turn, which we will not describe, we felt the modern setting had stopped helping. Sean Maher’s Don John sulks handsomely by the pool and is never given a reason. Whedon wrote the score himself, mostly cocktail jazz, and *Sigh No More*, sung at the party, is lovely; the rest is pleasant and gone by the credits. Whedon and Daniel S. Kaminsky cut it quick, and 109 minutes is right: the verse goes at conversational speed, and if you miss one joke there is another coming. Beside Branagh’s version this is cooler, smaller and funnier in its quiet moments, and less sure of itself when the mood darkens. Beside Whedon’s own television it is the film where his fondness for people talking over one another finally meets the writer who did it first. Watch it on a sofa, with a drink, beside someone who will argue afterwards about whether Denisof is any good. He is. It takes him a while. *Fi1m score 76, published 21 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics enjoy it. The reviews lean warmly towards Joss Whedon’s modern-dress, black-and-white version, shot quickly at his own house, and the praise clusters in two places: the cast’s relaxed, natural way with the verse, and Amy Acker’s Beatrice, which is singled out again and again as the best thing in it. Nathan Fillion’s Dogberry draws repeated mentions, and several critics note that the play’s darker corners come through more clearly than usual. The reservations are about the setting and the look. A few critics find the modern trappings sit awkwardly against the language, and the home-shot black-and-white photography is called cramped by The Guardian and amateurish by Slant Magazine. The Wrap thinks Alexis Denisof miscast as Benedick, which unbalances the central romance. Comparisons with Kenneth Branagh’s version recur, not always in Whedon’s favour. The spread is fairly wide, from outright raves to middling shrugs, but nobody dismisses it. ## Straight answers **Is Much Ado About Nothing worth watching?** *Much Ado About Nothing* (2013) is worth watching for anyone who likes Shakespeare's comedies played fast and modern, and we scored it 76. Amy Acker's Beatrice, quick and sore and funny, is the reason to see it. The plot around Hero, in which a woman's future turns on what a man thinks he saw, sits awkwardly in a present-day house. **How long is Much Ado About Nothing, and what is it rated?** *Much Ado About Nothing* runs 1h 49m. It is a comedy film. **Where can I watch Much Ado About Nothing in Belgium?** *Much Ado About Nothing* is not on any streaming or rental service in Belgium at the moment. It is available in 7 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily. **How does Much Ado About Nothing compare to Much Ado About Nothing?** *Much Ado About Nothing* (2013) is cooler, smaller and funnier in its quiet moments than Branagh's 1993 version, and less sure of itself when the story darkens. Whedon's black-and-white house party suits viewers who want the sparring at conversational speed. Branagh's sunlit Tuscan film is warmer, louder and handles the Hero plot with more conviction. **What should I watch after Much Ado About Nothing?** After *Much Ado About Nothing*, try [*Much Ado About Nothing*](https://film.one/film/much-ado-about-nothing) (1993, Fi1m 78): Branagh’s sunlit Tuscan version, warmer, louder and surer of the dark turn. Then [*The Philadelphia Story*](https://film.one/film/the-philadelphia-story) (1940, Fi1m 84): Hepburn and Grant sparring across a rich man’s house; the same game, older rules. ### Reviews we read (19) - **The New York Times**, A.O. Scott (Critic’s Pick): The critic calls it one of the liveliest and most delightful films of the year, highlighting its screwball energy and modern, pop-cultural take on the play. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/07/movies/much-ado-about-nothing-directed-by-joss-whedon.html) - **Vulture**, David Edelstein (90/100, inferred): Edelstein calls Whedon's version the smoothest and most enjoyable Shakespeare comedy on film, crediting the director's intuitive grasp of the text and the cast's natural delivery of the language. He singles out Nathan Fillion's understated Dogberry for particular praise and notes the film's balance of comedy and darker undertones. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2013/06/movie-review-whedons-much-ado-about-nothing.html) - **Sight and Sound**, Sophie Mayer (89/100, inferred): Whedon's joyful, contemporary adaptation brings swiftness and fluency to the play's barbed banter and trials of love, with the pen proving mightier than the sword. The strong female characters, utopian domestic space, and especially Amy Acker's show-stopping Beatrice are singled out for praise. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/film-week-much-ado-about-nothing) - **Empire**, Helen O'Hara (87/100, inferred): The critic praises Whedon's whipcrack wit as a perfect fit for the material and calls the intimate black-and-white home-shot film a fizzily fresh take. The well-rounded cast, especially Amy Acker's Beatrice, is highlighted as making the adaptation shine. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/much-ado-nothing-2-review/) - **Film Comment**, Geoffrey O’Brien (80/100, inferred): The critic finds Whedon's film an unlooked-for pleasure, noting it as the most American Shakespeare movie with crisp naturalistic line readings and a romance of the one percent. Singles out how the dark side of the play emerges most forcefully here, with Whedon’s precise reading making the play new again. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/article/review-much-ado-about-nothing-joss-whedon/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan (80/100, inferred): The film is described as a tasty, good-humored and unpretentious backyard treat and palate cleanser shot quickly in the director’s home. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-xpm-2013-jun-06-la-et-mn-much-ado-review-20130607-story.html) - **Time Out**, Tom Huddleston (4/5): Whedon's minuscule-budget home movie is a satisfying cinematic take on the Bard that feels intimate and personal while remaining worthy of the big screen. The witty, good-natured and lovable DIY production, including scenes in a children's bedroom and laundry room, is singled out for praise. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/much-ado-about-nothing-1) - **IndieWire**, Christopher Schobert (79/100, inferred): The review finds Whedon's modern-dress, black-and-white adaptation lively and engaging thanks to its cast of familiar faces and playful tone. It praises the film's intimate, home-movie feel while noting it stays true to the play's romantic and comedic spirit. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-joss-whedons-much-ado-about-nothing-97270/) - **The Independent** (58/100, inferred): The critic finds Joss Whedon's black-and-white, modern-day take falls a little flat compared to Kenneth Branagh's version. Amy Acker's nuanced Beatrice and Nathan Fillion's energetic Dogberry are singled out as what rescues the low-budget adaptation. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/dvd-bluray-review-much-ado-about-nothing-12-8856888.html) - **Slant Magazine** (50/100, inferred): The review appreciates the film's comic energy and the cast's physicality but criticizes the indifferent handling of Shakespeare's language in a modern setting and the amateurish black-and-white aesthetic. It concludes that the project feels like a calculated home movie lacking deeper personal connection from the director. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/much-ado-about-nothing/) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (50/100, inferred): The critic finds Joss Whedon's modern-dress, black-and-white adaptation too tasteful and self-conscious, resulting in a version that feels weirdly cramped and claustrophobic rather than energetic or unconventional. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/jun/13/much-ado-about-nothing-review) - **Digital Spy**, Emma Dibdin (5/5): The critic calls the adaptation joyous and intimate, a triumph of micro-budget ingenuity with magnetic chemistry between the leads. Singles out the fresh, vigorous take on the text and the wit, warmth and love for its characters that make it entirely joyous. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a489525/much-ado-about-nothing-review-joss-whedon-directs-shakespeare-comedy/) - **HeyUGuys**, Kenji Lloyd (5/5): Whedon's adaptation is a smart, sexy, and funny take on the classic play, a masterpiece that is consistently hilarious with no beats amiss. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/tiff-2012-much-ado-about-nothing-review/) - **The Playlist**, The Playlist Staff (A-): Whedon pulls off a delightful, DIY modern-day black-and-white adaptation shot at his home; its off-the-cuff nature is not flawless but from beginning to end delightful, one of 2012's most unexpected treats. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/tiff-review-joss-whedons-much-ado-about-nothing-is-an-unexpected-delight-20120910/) - **Eye for Film**, Jennie Kermode (85/100, inferred): Whedon's version mixes modern elements with the play's social codes, developing into an emotionally complex tale that justifies itself; it breathes fresh life into the story with modern ethos and energy, ranking among the best adaptations. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/much-ado-about-nothing-2012-film-review-by-jennie-kermode) - **Den of Geek**, David Crow (4/5): The critic calls it the best home movie ever and a sublime contemporary take that feels like a champagne-drenched weekend with friends. Singles out the sparkling wit and standout performances, especially Amy Acker’s Beatrice, while noting some limitations in Alexis Denisof’s early scenes. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/much-ado-about-nothing-review/) - **Paste**, Michael Burgin (8.2): The review finds Whedon's contemporary black-and-white adaptation nearly as pleasing as Branagh's, highlighting the strong performances especially by Denisof and Acker as Benedick and Beatrice, and Nathan Fillion as Dogberry, while noting some minor issues with modernizing the setting. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/much-ado-about-nothing) - **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (B): The critic praises the superb cast, clever staging, and Whedon's understanding of dialogue, particularly the electric chemistry between Beatrice and Benedick, while noting the limitations of the micro-budget and finding the Claudio/Hero subplot less engaging. [Read](https://collider.com/much-ado-about-nothing-review-joss-whedon/) - **The Wrap** (45/100, inferred): The review finds the film disappointingly mediocre overall despite Whedon's daring choice to follow up The Avengers with a quick, low-budget Shakespeare adaptation. It singles out the miscasting of Alexis Denisof as Benedick as the central flaw that sinks the romantic balance with Amy Acker's Beatrice. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/much-ado-about-nothing-review-fault-lies-co-star-95086/) ## Details - **Director:** Joss Whedon - **Director:** Joss Whedon - **Screenplay:** Joss Whedon - **Cinematography:** Jay Hunter - **Editor:** Daniel S. Kaminsky, Joss Whedon - **Music:** Joss Whedon - **Production design:** Michele Yu, Cindy Chao - **Costume design:** Shawna Trpcic - **Producer:** Joss Whedon, Kai Cole - **Cast:** Amy Acker as Beatrice; Alexis Denisof as Benedick; Nathan Fillion as Dogberry; Clark Gregg as Leonato; Reed Diamond as Don Pedro; Fran Kranz as Claudio; Jillian Morgese as Hero; Sean Maher as Don John - **Runtime:** 1h 49m - **First release (Canada):** 8 September 2012 - **Genres:** Comedy - **Box office:** $4 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3XV8XfJA-Y ## Where to watch in Belgium Not streaming, renting or buying in Belgium at the last check. Also available in: AT, AU, CA, ES, GB, IE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *Much Ado About Nothing* (1993), Fi1m 78: Branagh’s sunlit Tuscan version, warmer, louder and surer of the dark turn. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/much-ado-about-nothing.md) - *Hamlet* (2000): Michael Almereyda puts the prince in a New York hotel; Ethan Hawke broods over a camcorder. - *The Philadelphia Story* (1940), Fi1m 84: Hepburn and Grant sparring across a rich man’s house; the same game, older rules. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-philadelphia-story.md) - *Coriolanus* (2011): Ralph Fiennes drags the Roman play into a war of rolling news and rubble. - *Haider* (2014): Vishal Bhardwaj’s Hamlet in Kashmir, angrier and stranger than any English version. --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/much-ado-about-nothing-2013