I want to applaud Joss Whedon’s “Much Ado About Nothing” for all the things it does right, and I will.
But Whedon’s side project – between his various TV and Marvel-related entertainments – gets one thing unfortunately wrong: It’s never very funny.
Much of that has to do with casting. Indeed, Whedon’s cast – which consists of actors who might be considered part of Whedon’s ever-growing stock company – does contain the right actor, but in the wrong role.
So instead of Nathan Fillion as the haughty, romantic Benedick, we get Alexis Denisoff, whose next unmannered line reading will be his first. His snarky head-to-head with Amy Acker’s sharp-elbowed Beatrice – the two antagonists who eventually fall in love with each other – lacks bite. Acker might as well be pitted against a body pillow, so shapeless and soft is Denisoff’s presence.
This review continues on my website.