William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet

Rating: 7/10 (11 December 2006)

I first saw bits of this and dismissed it because back then I hated Leonardo DiCaprio and Shakespearean language in the modern world, but now I like both. BAFTA winning director Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge) has brought the famous William Shakespeare love story into the 20th century (not the language of course), e.g. daggers are guns called Dagger. Romeo (DiCaprio) and Juliet (Terminator 3's Claire Danes) are two strong lovers, but they cannot be together as their families are in a battle with each other. The story is no change from the original play story, and in fact, it is almost like a stage performance (particularly with characters not "looking behind them"). A lovely and tragic film with a doomed romance. Also starring John Leguizamo as Tybalt, Lost's Harold Perrineau as Mercutio, Pete Postlethwaite as Father Laurence, Paul Sorvino as Fulgencio Capulet, Brian Dennehy as Ted Montague, Friends' Paul Rudd as Dave Paris, Miriam Margolyes as The Nurse and Des'ree is in the film singing the film's love song, "Kissing You". It was nominated the Oscar for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, it won the BAFTAs for Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music for Nellee Hooper, Best Production Design, Best Adapted Screenplay and the David Lean Award for Direction, and it was nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Sound. Very good!