Creative interpretation of Shakespeare's Great Love story

Rating: 8/10 (18 November 2005)

I will be the first to admit bias because I am a big fan of Leonardo DiCaprio. However, much credit must also be given to the creative team for their modern remake of R&J. The movie, like Moulin Rouge as one example, has put a great deal of time into costume, settings and music. As a side note, the soundtrack for R&J is phenomenal and I still listen to it nearly 10 years later. The story stays very true to the play with Elizabethan English instead of modern English. One big surprise is the portrayal of Mercutio. All I can say is that this definitely was not Shakespeare's intention, but it's quite amusing. The use of Elizabethan English in a modern interpretation of Shakespeare has one evident drawback; seeing people in the modern age speaking in such a fashion can make the movie seem a bit silly at times. Other than that, I loved it and the romantic aspect in the movie was so well done. I simply wish that the DiCaprio and Danes had a better cast working with them. Particularly for the parents. No excuses for not finding older actors who can handle Shakespeare, especially since they found the aforementioned stars who handled it quite well.