In director Baz Luhrmann's contemporary take on William Shakespeare's classic tragedy, the Montagues and Capulets have moved their ongoing feud to the sweltering suburb of Verona Beach, where Romeo and Juliet fall in love and secretly wed. Though the film is visually modern, the bard's dialogue remains.
Leonardo DiCaprio
Romeo
Claire Danes
Juliet
Jesse Bradford
Balthasar
Vondie Curtis-Hall
Captain Prince
Brian Dennehy
Ted Montague
John Leguizamo
Tybalt
Miriam Margolyes
Nurse
Harold Perrineau
Mercutio
Christina Pickles
Caroline Montague
Pete Postlethwaite
Father Laurence
Paul Rudd
Dave Paris
Paul Sorvino
Fulgencio Capulet
Diane Venora
Gloria Capulet
M. Emmet Walsh
Apothecary
Edwina Moore
Anchorwoman
Zak Orth
Gregory
Jamie Kennedy
Sampson
Dash Mihok
Benvolio
Lupita Ochoa
Attractive Girl
Gloria Silva
Nun
Vincent Laresca
Abra
Carlos Manzo
Petrucchio
Carolyn Valero
Middle Aged Occupant
Paco Morayta
Middle Aged Occupant
Rodrigo Escandon
Kid With Toy Gun
Margarita Wynne
Station Mother
Harriet Sansom Harris
Susan Santandiago
Michael Corbett
Rich Ranchidis
Pedro Altamirano
Peter
Mario Cimarro
Capulet Bouncer
Des'ree
Diva
Ismael Eguiarte
O P Officer
Ricardo Barona
Altar Boy
Fausto Barona
Altar Boy
Quindon Tarver
Choir Boy
Alex Newman
Altar Boy 2
Cory Newman
Altar Boy 2
Jorge Abraham
Post Haste Delivery Man
John Sterlini
Sacristan
Farnesio de Bernal
Undertaker
Catalina Botello
Post Haste Clerk
Director, Screenplay
Baz Luhrmann
Author
William Shakespeare
Screenplay
Craig Pearce
May 4, 2021
8
Part 2 of Baz Luhrmann's Red Curtain Trilogy: <em>'Romeo + Juliet'</em>.
I remember watching a little bit of this years and years back at high school and I seem to recall enjoying it a lot. I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I might've on this viewing, but it is still a film I'd recommend for sure - it's very good.
I'm yet to see a bad - heck, even a just mildly good - film from Leonardo DiCaprio, which remains the case after this. It's probably the weakest performance I've seen from DiCaprio so far, though that's just through process of elimination as he's still impressive here as Romeo. Claire Danes (Juliet) merits props, also.
John Leguizamo (Tybalt) is the pick of the rest of the cast, which also includes the likes of Paul Sorvino, Miriam Margolyes and Paul Rudd. Speaking of the casting, apparently 14-year-old Natalie Portman was originally cast to star alongside DiCaprio (then 21... dodgy!).
I love the modern day set up and how they bring this famous tale to life in it, though I do think the choice to use Shakespearean dialogue was perhaps the wrong call. It's not like I didn't appreciate it, but it does feel a bit forced and unnatural at times - still cool that they did it, mind.
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$14,500,000.00
Revenue:
$147,298,761.00