Grand Theft Hamlet: A Hilarious and Unexpected Take on Shakespeare
This review is based on a screening at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival.
Grand Theft Hamlet, currently playing in theaters, isn't your grandmother's Shakespeare adaptation. This fresh and comedic interpretation breathes new life into the classic tale, offering a surprisingly engaging and thoroughly entertaining cinematic experience. The film cleverly transplants the familiar plot of Hamlet into a modern, high-octane setting, resulting in a vibrant and unexpected journey. The familiar characters are reimagined with a contemporary twist, making them both relatable and refreshingly original. The result is a film that manages to be both respectful of its source material and boldly inventive in its approach. While the humor is often broad, it's consistently effective, and the film never loses sight of the underlying emotional core of Shakespeare's masterpiece. Grand Theft Hamlet is a must-see for Shakespeare enthusiasts and newcomers alike, proving that even the most venerable stories can be reimagined for a modern audience with wit and panache.
