Romeo + Juliet (1996)

"A brilliant update" - a review by andy-j

Young Romeo of the Montague house is desperately in love with Rosaline, a girl who has sworn never to give her heart to a man. Saddened and depressed, he is finally convinced by his friends to crash a party being held by the Montague's arch-enemies - the Capulets. Once there, Romeo meets and falls instantly in love with Juliet of the house of Capulet, a girl who should be his bitter enemy. But Juliet feels no hatred towards Romeo, and their feelings for each other are so intense and unchecked that they decide to defy their families' wishes and become married. Trouble quickly follows, as matters quickly spiral out of control, heading towards disaster.

There is no doubt at all that William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is a timeless masterpiece. It is a relatively simple story, containing the audience-pleasing elements of love, death and tragedy, all woven into a highly dramatic and thrilling plot. The prose is wonderfully deep, flowing and open, the stuff of fascination for hundreds of years. Director Baz Luhrmann has chosen to adapt the classic play to a more modern setting, while still retaining the complicated and rather unfriendly-in-modern-times dialogue.

Luhrmann has taken an approach that many Shakespeare purists would turn their nose up at - choosing big-name stars, and taking some rather unusual liberties, such as referring to drugs when Romeo discusses dreams, using "sword-brand" guns rather than traditional swords, and making Mercutio rather feminine. In addition, Luhrmann uses very "now" camera techiques and editing styles, which some would interpret as making a mockery of Shakespeare's original. Initially, I thought the same thing, but as I became drawn more and more into the wonderful fantasy-like Verona, I began to see why he chose this direction. For one, any "realistic" modern-day setting would quickly date, but Luhrmann's approach certainly seems a lot more timeless (much in the tradition of Shakespeare's original). Secondly, the story itself is somewhat fantastical - how would the notions of expulsion from a city and "magical" herbal potions fit in against such a heavy backdrop of a gritty modern-day suburb? Not well. So instead we are presented with only a semi-serious backdrop, thus never allowing these sorts of questions to become relevant. And thirdly, this approach has allowed for a new generation to experience Shakespeare in an identifiable yet still enjoyable setting.

Luhrmann is totally unafraid to let his imagination run wild, and Romeo + Juliet is a stunning example of the results. It is an ingeniously clever and creative adaptation, full of vivid colours and memorable locations, scenes and characters. It's all over-the-top but it all works. The actors, who include Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes as the star-cross'd lovers, are all absolutely perfect. They make effortless work of the complicated dialogue. DiCaprio in particular gives the most memorable performance - he is energetic and emotional, allowing the audience to connect with Romeo more than any other character.

Romeo + Juliet is a wonderful breath of fresh air. It does a great service to the original by updating it for a modern-day audience, while still retaining what makes it wonderful. It treats the story with the respect it deserves, but doesn't take things too seriously, and that's ultimately what makes it so appealing and accessible.