Heath Ledger was probably best known for his roles in Brokeback Mountain and The Dark Knight — and quite rightly so, given his stellar performances. But let’s be honest. His best work was really a predictable, badly scripted but hilariously funny medieval comedy.
In case you’re not familiar, A Knight’s Tale is basically Rocky with horses and jousting, all set to a soundtrack of Queen. It’s cheesy, predictable, with an over-the-top villain and too-perfect girl, but despite all that, it’s still excellent. Ledger and Paul Bettany make this film, with good acting saving the slightly over-the-top dialogue.
It’s a far more raw take on medieval life than most action films involving knights in armor — no pitched battles or appeals to a higher power. Best of all, it’s just been released on Netflix Instant, so it’ll only take you about three clicks and one bag of popcorn to get set up for the evening.
