Blyss's Review For:

Main Cast of Characters:

Leonardo DiCaprio....................Romeo Montague

Claire Danes....................Juliet Capulet

Jamie Kennedy................Sampson

Dash Mihok....................Benvolio

John Leguizamo..........Tybalt

Paul Sorvino..........Fulgencio Capulet

Brian Dennehy......Ted Montague

Christina Pickles.......Caroline Montague

Vondie Curtis-Hall........Captain Prince

Paul Rudd..............Dave Paris

M. Emmet Walsh...........Apothecary

Diane Venora..........Gloria Capulet

Miriam Margolyes...........Nurse

Harold Perrineau.........Mercutio

1996; Rated PG-13; 120 minutes;Category: Drama

In fair Verona (California) where we lay our scene...

In a modern day telling of the classic Shakespeare play, Romeo and Juliet, a news story begins as a Capulet and a Montague take their lives and the story opens. A fight ensues between the two families at a gas station and they both get away unhurt. Benvolio, Romeo's cousin only wants peace between the families but Juliet's cousin refuses and that is what started the fighting. Both are caught and the Montague leader bails him out. They are looking for Romeo who is lamenting over a woman he is in love with called Rosaline. We then switch to Capulet who is arranging a marriage between Dave Paris, Bachelor of the Year, and his young daughter Juliet. They then decide to have a party to celebrate in which Benvolio finds out that Rosaline will be there and tells Romeo of it. He decides to go. Romeo, his best friend Mercutio, and the rest of his gang show up at the costume party and he meets Juliet who is abruptly pulled away by the nurse to dance with Paris. Romeo manages to pull her away from Paris and continues to run from her parents and the nurse. He is upset to find out that she is part of the family that is his family's mortal enemy. Mercutio pulls him away and Tybalt sees them and vows revenge. He comes back later and asks her to marry him and she agrees. Things start falling apart when Romeo kills Tybalt after he kills Mercutio and Mercutio curses both their houses. You know how the rest goes...

For the new generation of kids who need to watch Romeo and Juliet and hate Shakespeare, this retelling might make a little more sense to them. it will sure keep them interetsed if nothing else because of the stars in the movie even if they do speak the words from the original Shakespeare. Even though the retelling was really well done, there were some high and low points of this film. First of all, the Montagues and Capulets are two mob families which would make sense in a modern day version. The Capulets are made to look suave and the Montagues look like a bunch of punks. But, as in all gangs, there is always one that wishes peace. Besides Romeo, that person is his cousin, Benvolio. I don't know if I would have chosen DiCaprio as Romeo because that was a role that I just could not see him in. However, Claire Danes was a perfect choice for Juliet. You could see the magic in Danes eyes as Juliet falls for Romeo, like two stars. I loved it! She was the actress that probably gave most people chills from watching this movie because she reminds us what it is like to fall in love, and how we felt the first time we did fall in love. As in all versions of Romeo and Juliet, you wish the dreadful end did not have to come down as it does. But I guess it would not be a Shakespeare play if it did not end the way that it did.

Overall, I would recommend this for any kid who hates Shakespeare and wants an interesting version of Romeo and Juliet to watch for school or for any adult who appreciates Shakespeare, like myself, and just wanted to see what else could be done on film.

I rate this film: 8

Blyss