Heads. Heads. Heads. Heads. Heads.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1990) – Two minor characters observe Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”. The two friends of the Danish prince struggle with what is real and their roles as pawns in the tragedy.

Directed by Tom Stoppard

Starring Gary Oldman, Tim Roth, Richard Dreyfuss, Iain Glen

Why I Liked It – Just familiar enough to follow along, but absurd enough to be entirely new

This is one play I always felt I was “supposed” to have seen back in my days as a drama student. It never fell into place for me, and so I added it to my list with the movie version all these years later.

For those not familiar with the title characters, they are two VERY minor members of the “Hamlet” company. Friends of the prince, they are called upon by his uncle, the king, to spy. Both in Shakespeare and in this movie, they are treated as interchangeable. Their purpose in the play is to show the corruption of the court, as they are quick to abandon friendship for the king’s gold.

In Stoppard’s play and this movie, they become the central focus. As characters with limited backstories and connections to most of the action, they soon realize that something is weird. Whether it’s the coin that always flips to heads, or their extreme limitations of memory, they exist in a strange demimonde. It makes no sense, but they can’t break away from it. So, they just go along for the ride.

This is absurdist theater. Things don’t make sense in the traditional sense. The question of the meaning of life is under constant scrutiny. Consequently, the story before the audience can be chaotic. If you’ve never experienced it, that can sound off-putting. But in the hands of a skilled writer, and Stoppard was all of that and more, it becomes a fascinating study of existence and humanity. Add in brilliant performances by Oldman and Roth, plus a seductively untrustworthy leader of Hamlet’s players in Richard Dreyfuss, and you have everything you need for a brilliant story. I feel like I have to give at least a quick nod to Iain Glen, who plays Hamlet. He’s fine as the “Mad Prince”, but in this version it is his role that is the minor character.

If you’ve never seen an absurdist play/movie, allow me to warn you that you need to pay attention. Stoppard’s dialogue travels at a gallop most of the time, slowly only to a trot at best. Given the chaotic nature of the storytelling, things can change in a blink. More than once, characters walk through doors only to find themselves in very different places than expected. Because the titular characters aren’t involved in every scene of the play, they “skip ahead”, adding to their confusion. If you’re not paying attention, it can have the same effect on you, the viewer.

In the end, it’s a fascinating look at a classic of English-language literature. You get masterclass levels of performance and brilliant writing. The whole experience requires more effort that a superhero movie, but it’s worth the investment.

You can stream “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” on Pluto TV, Amazon Prime, MGM+, Apple TV, YouTube TV, The Roku Channel, Philo, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Plex, Tubi, and Plex.

Rating – *** Worth A Look