Wonderfully Unsatisfying

Rating: Null/10 (29 July 2001)

I saw this movie first while on a weekend vacation with a few friends when I was about 11 or 12. I had never read Shakespeare, nor did I know any specifics about the plot. I absolutely LOVED it, to say the least. Despite the fact that I really didn't know what was happening most of the time, I found it thoroughly entertaining. Since then, I've seen it about six times.
This last school year, in ninth grade, we read and studied the play in my english class. We went through slowly, studying the meaning of nearly everything written in the script. The ideas, drama and sheer beauty of the poetry became so much clearer once I understood what was happening. I watched it again, with the same friends from before on another weekend vacation, and loved the movie even more. Being able to understand the poetry enhances the experience of this wonderful movie. My english teacher showed us two versions of Romeo and Juliet-the version directed by Franco Zeffirelli, and this one. He personally liked the second version, Baz Luhrmann's, more...the ending, he said, was more "heart-wrenching." And how true that is! Every time I watch this movie I find myself hoping and hoping that maybe this time it's different, and Juliet will wake up. It always brings a tear to my eye, however sappy that sounds.
I also greatly enjoyed the soundtrack...it fitted perfectly and added so much to the story.
As far as the film's faults go, I see very few. Reading other people's reviews, I noticed that many found the acting by DiCaprio and Danes flat and poorly done. I myself am not a connoisseur of Shakespearean acting, so I have little to compare it to; however, I found the acting convincing and moving. I am not particularly a DiCaprio fan, but I thought he did very well portraying Romeo, and likewise with Danes.
I recommend reading either the original play or at least an interpretation of it before seeing the movie. Whether or not you do, though, this is a touching, wonderful movie that is unsatisfying only in that you're left wishing there was more to savor.