Roland Emmerich’s new historical thriller, Anonymous, delves into the complex conspiracy theory, espoused by Mark Twain, that purports that William Shakespeare (Rafe Spall) was not actually the author of his famous plays. Shakespeare is portrayed as a drunken illiterate wastrel who is used as a pawn to present politicized plays by the Earl of Oxford, Edward de Vere (Rhys Ifans). In the film, Shakespeare is constantly scamming the populace and gouging de Vere for money. Although constant flashbacks make the film a bit difficult to follow, sudden twists and turns in the plot keep it continually intriguing. Ifans, in particular, dominates the film with his presentation of a man struggling to balance nobility with his secret passion for writing. Incredible backdrops coupled with elegant costumes bring the dreary streets of 17th century London to life. Despite the arguably far-fetched subject matter, Anonymous is definitely worth a trip to the theatres.