overwhelming Baz Luhrmann style

Rating: 6/10 (26 December 2014)

Baz Luhrmann injects his brash style into Shakespeare's famous play. It's the modern world in a place called Verona. The two families of Capulets and Montagues are powerful corporate giants with gun totting thugs. Claire Danes plays Juliet Capulet and Leonardo DiCaprio plays Romeo Montague. There is no doubt that this is one of the more unique interpretations. Luhrmann throws every visual flashiness at the audience. He's pumped up the material with so many bells and whistles that the story feels overwhelmed. The music choice sometimes grades on my nerves. The leads are an adorable pairing. I wish Luhrmann has some more faith in the actors to allow them some peace and quiet to do their work. They do good work in the balconey scene but Luhrmann can't stop moving. The flash and glitz becomes more of a distraction.