too bad the highest score I can give is 10

Rating: 10/10 (27 February 1999)

So many others (both here and in external reviews) have extolled the virtues of this film that there's not much I can add. Romeo and Juliet was always something I found pleasant, but so much work to really understand (the language, the puns, the lack of stage directions...). This movie brought Shakespeare to life in ways I never thought possible. I had tears in my eyes when I realized how much the movie would parallel the play. But because it's not the same as the play, familiarity with Romeo and Juliet doesn't "ruin the movie" for you, it makes it even better. The writers did a wonderful job of playing off the audience's familiarity with the play to throw in some surprises. Even if you can predict everything that happens at the end, the movie is done so well that you won't be disappointed.