‘Grand Theft Hamlet’ Review: When Shakespeare Meets Gaming, Hilarity and Heartbreak Ensue

may have been born out of the ennui bred by COVID lockdown in 2021, but it’s anything but boring.. In this sprawling virtual space, temporarily out-of-work U.K.-based actors Sam Crane and Mark pootling around the SoCal-esqe landscape of Los Santos in presumably stolen golf carts.

Sam, Mark and Pinny work through the process of putting on a show all the way, from auditioning potential actors to choosing locations for the performance to the ultimate opening night. Like any backstage drama or comedy, there are ups and downs, from the high of casting Dipo Ola to play Hamlet to the low of losing their leading man when Dipo finds he hasn’t got time to commit to the show having secured an acting job in the so-called real world.

Along the way, there are a few scenes that also feel written or semi-improvised in order to add a little drama or pathos. For instance, when Sam and Pinny discuss their frustration with the project and how all-consuming it’s become, making them feel guilty for not spending more time with their kids and each other. They log off so they can find each other in their house in Hackney, London, in order to give one another a real-world hug.

It’s at these moments that the film gets across the weird weight of lockdown, a time of tension and anxiety but also an opportunity for creative growth none of us saw coming. The film brings these themes gently to the fore with a lovely lightness of touch, while elsewhere the filmmakers demonstrate a real eye for both the beauty and the bloodshed of Los Santos’ game world.

I happened to watch the film with my 15-year-old gamer kid, and he was thrilled with the movie, laughing delightedly throughout and remarking on how sweet it was. He was also, quite rightly, excited to see a film illustrating the creative, positive side of gaming instead of offering another illustrated diatribe, bemoaning how gaming is corrupting everyone’s mind and turning young people into murderous psychopaths.

Source: Entertainment Trends (entertainmenttrends.net)

United States Latest News, United States Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Play’s the Thing in Grand Theft HamletPinny Grylls and Sam Crane take arms against a sea of virtual troubles
Source: AustinChronicle - 🏆 593. / 51 Read more »

Alleged thieves charged with grand theft of alcohol from Atascadero storeBy KAREN VELIE Paso Robles police arrested three men who allegedly stole more than $950 worth of alcohol from the Smart & Final in Atascadero on
Source: californianewsn - 🏆 440. / 53 Read more »

Former Chula Vista City Councilwoman Andrea Cardenas pleads guilty to grand theft chargesCity News Service is one of the largest regional news services in the country, serving the Southern California region.
Source: 10News - 🏆 732. / 50 Read more »

The Grand Design of Grand SeikoWe catch up with Grand Seiko CEO AkioNaito at Ginza House, Tokyo, in our first real conversation since Watches and Wonders Geneva. He tempers our enthusiasm for complications with a reminder that accuracy is still paramount at the Japanese brand.
Source: Luxuo - 🏆 571. / 51 Read more »

Crime in the City this week: NYPD attack investigation, NYC nightclub theft ring, NYCHA bribery bustHere's s look at some of the more notable crimes across NYC this week, including new video of the NYPD officer attack, a shooting inside a Times Square store and a brazen Bronx bodega robbery.
Source: fox5ny - 🏆 587. / 51 Read more »

VIDEO: Wild car chase caught on camera; suspect in car theft drives into CPD sergeantThe woman accused of leading officers on a wild chase that ended moments after she crashed into a Columbus police sergeant who then shot her from atop the hood
Source: wsyx6 - 🏆 444. / 53 Read more »