As mentioned, I enjoyed the movie, and I hadn't been sure I would; resetting classic plays in modern times frequently doesn't work for me... I have yet to be able to sit through all of Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet. But this may also have something to do with the fact that R & J is probably my least favourite of Shakespeare's tragedies (if it is a tragedy) and I don't particularly like Leonardo Dicaprio's acting.
With a week to kill, Don Pedro and Claudio decide to occupy themselves by hatching a plot to make Benedick and Beatrice fall in love with each other. In this, they enlist the aid of both Hero and Leonato. The men arrange for Benedick to "overhear" them discussing how Beatrice is violently in love with him, but is afraid to let him know, hiding her feelings by insulting him. Meanwhile, Hero and her maid Ursula loudly gossip, within Beatrice's hearing, about how Benedick is sick with love for her. Both Beatrice and Benedick are shocked by these "revelations", but also delighted... as is obvious to everyone else, beneath their assumed hostility, they've always been attracted to each other.
The next day at the wedding, Claudio accuses Hero of being a trollop in front of the shocked guests, then storms off with Don Pedro as Hero fall into a death-like faint. Leonato, who at first assumes the charge is true, wishes that she were actually dead. The friar, however, believes Hero to be innocent, and suggests a scheme to prove it. They must all, he says, pretend that Hero actually died from the shock and keep her hidden. This will, he thinks, make Claudio remorseful and will also buy them time to discover the truth.
What no one realizes is that, the previous night following their disgraceful plot, Borachio and Conrade had gotten picked up by the local Watch who, seeing the two men behaving suspiciously and overhearing them discussing what they had done, arrest them and give them over to the head constable, Dogsberry. Though Dogsberry is a bumbling idiot, he and his men eventually get a confession out of Borachio and Conrade and inform Leonato of the truth. Don John flees the city with a posse sent by a furious Don Pedro in pursuit. Meanwhile, now prostrate with grief and guilt over causing Hero's death, begs forgiveness of Leonato. Leonato tells him that he can make amends by marrying a younger daughter of Antonio's, so as to carry on the family name. Claudio humbly agrees, and a wedding is hastily assembled.The veiled bride is soon revealed to be Hero, who for some strange reason still wants to marry this twit. Pushed by their friends, Benedick and Beatrice admit publicly that they kinda, sorta, love each other, and the wedding celebrations begin. Word arrives that Don John has been captured, but Benedick tells Don Pedro to leave his punishment for another day so that they can all enjoy the occasion. Frolic ensues.