Cymbeline

As originally conceived in Shakespeare's late tragic romance—which combines bits of Hamlet, King Lear, Othello, and Romeo and Juliet into an unwieldy stew—Cymbeline is a first-century Celtic chieftain infuriated when his daughter Imogen marries poor orphan Posthumus rather than the son of his manipulative second wife, who also encourages her husband to rebel against Rome. Cymbeline banishes Posthumus, and Imogen runs away, eventually taking a draught that makes her appear to be dead. Meanwhile, a fellow named Iachimo makes a bet with Posthumus that he can seduce Imogen, providing spurious proof of success. As if that weren't plot enough, Imogen also finds refuge with Cymbeline's two sons by his first marriage, who were believed to be deceased but are ready to show up in their father's court for a chaotic finale. Michael Almereyda, who previously filmed a modernized version of Hamlet with Ethan Hawke, relocates the action to contemporary New York City, with Cymbeline (Ed Harris) the head of a Sons of Anarchy–style biker gang, Posthumus (Penn Badgley) a scruffy skateboarder, and Iachimo (Hawke) an ambitious cad (the Romans are the cops). The text is pared way down and guns replace swords, but despite the alterations, the overall result works because of the energy that Almereyda brings to the production along with his bizarre cast, including Milla Jovovich as Cymbeline's queen, and Dakota Johnson as Imogen. Recommended. (F. Swietek)