Romeo + Juliet (1996)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Baz Luhrmann

Writers (WGA):

William Shakespeare (play)
Craig Pearce (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

1 November 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Two households both alike in dignity, In fair Verona where we lay our scene. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life.

Plot:

Shakespeare's famous play is updated to the hip modern suburb of Verona still retaining its original dialogue.

Plot Keywords:

Verona | Star Crossed Lovers | Shakespeare | Lover | Love

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 13 wins & 20 nominations

Cast

Leonardo DiCaprio	...	Romeo
Claire Danes	...	Juliet
John Leguizamo	...	Tybalt
Harold Perrineau	...	Mercutio
Pete Postlethwaite	...	Father Laurence
Paul Sorvino	...	Fulgencio Capulet
Brian Dennehy	...	Ted Montague
Paul Rudd	...	Dave Paris
Vondie Curtis-Hall	...	Captain Prince
Miriam Margolyes	...	The Nurse
Jesse Bradford	...	Balthasar
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Apothecary
Zak Orth	...	Gregory
Jamie Kennedy	...	Sampson
Dash Mihok	...	Benvolio

Also Known As:

Romeo and Juliet
William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet (USA) (complete title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for scenes of contemporary violence and some sensuality.

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Brazil:14 | Hungary:16 | Iceland:12 | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 (cut) | Australia:M | Belgium:KT | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Alameda, California, USA

Company:

Bazmark Films

Trivia:

Sarah Michelle Gellar and Jennifer Love Hewitt were considered for the part of Juliet, but both were turned down. Sarah Michelle Gellar was committed to "All My Children" (1970), and Jennifer Love Hewitt was rejected because she was not 'old enough' for the role. Both of them would later star alongside each other in I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997).

Goofs:

Continuity: When Abra shouts 'Boo!' at the petrol station, his sunglasses disappear.

Quotes:

Tybalt: Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford no better term than this: Thou art a villain.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Home and Away: Hearts Divided (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

You and Me Song

An eye-catching, starkly bold and breathtaking update of Shakespeare's greatest work.

This film is incredible. Yes, the play is modernized, and for those who panned the film, I suppose originality was too much to take. Luhrmann stays with the original dialogue, which I believe adds much to the film and gives it authenticity. Therefore it cannot be dismissed as a masterpiece dumbed down to appeal to us easy to please teenagers. The camera work at the most dark parts of the film is quick and choppy, adding to the already potent and ever present depressing, tragic atmosphere. All of the leads were strong, with Danes and DiCaprio having amazing chemistry. In this film DiCaprio wasn't popular yet, so again critics can't say Leo was the draw for this film. Danes was emotionally pure and driven, and this is her best work to date aside from the critical darling, "My So-Called Life." No, the leads were cast with good reason - there couldn't have been any better. Supporting roles were wonderful, with the roles of Mercutio and Tybalt being exceptional, and the friar, who may be the most important character in the story, is brought to life by Postalwaithe The dreamy underwater shots are fantastic. Luhrmann's version of this classic tragedy plays to both a younger and older audience, adding touches such as the names of the guns being the names of swords; and he yet updates the setting, bringing the fantastic Verona, Italy to Verona Beach, Florida. A timeless story such as this makes any criticism of this film unnecessary and foolish; view it with an open mind and you will see the story as Shakespeare wrote it and as Luhrmann envisioned it.