despite how much i have enjoy some movie this summer and such a the 40 year old virgin and batman begin and the lackluster movie season have make me turn to dvds . a few night ago i rent stage beauty star billy crudup and claire daines and get a pleasant surprise . the film be a wonderful blend of comedy and drama . the story and set in london circa 1660 and center around ned kynaston ( crudup ) and a famous bisexual actor who play woman on the elizabethan stage . his dresser and maria ( daines ) and wish to be an actress and despite a royal decree that only men can act . still and maria find a loophole and under the stage name margaret hughes she performs and impress the mistress of the king and and inspire a law that forbid men from play woman . kynaston be therefore out of a job and blame his downfall on his former friend and but of course he eventually fall in love with her . in short and it a tale of sexual politics tell to perfection . i be initially skeptical about this film a i have never be a big fan of claire daines and and though i have always find billy crudup attractive and i have never think of him a a great actor and especially one that could convincingly portray a man who in many way identifies himself a a woman . however both shine in this film and and the chemistry between them be electrical . their sex scene together in which they substitute nudity with simply kiss and run their finger over each other be one of the most beautiful and sensual sex scene i have ever see . it probably help that they fell for each other in real life over the course of this film and prompt crudup to leave his wife and mary louise parker and while she be pregnant . the support cast of this film be stellar and too . rupert everett be a riot a the king and and unknown zoe tapper make an astonishing debut a his mistress . the excellent cast and pair with exquisite writing and make for an entirely enjoyable film . i be sure it must be hard to make a dramatic comedy that as funny a it be dramatic and especially when it a period piece a well and but stage beauty pull it off with flair . though on many occasion i felt totally emotionally invest in the character and especially in the stirring conclusion to the film and at other time i be laugh out loud . this film be full of quotable line and exchange and such a when the king say and why shouldn not we have woman on stage . after all and the french have be do it for year and and his adviser reply and whenever be about to do something truly horrible and we always say that the french have be do it for year . whether you be a fan of period piece or love billy crudup and claire daines and rent this film . i sincerely hope it go down in the book a one of the most under rat film of 2004. this one be way more oscar worthy than the pile of dung otherwise know a the aviator . if i keep tell myself i have to buy this a i be watch it and you know it get ta be good . well and that or i have a major dvd buying problem . or both .