Romeo and Juliet * Film Review Shakespeare

A film adaption of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” by the director of “Strictly Ballroom” set in 90s America, could potentially have been a tasteless disaster. Although this film deliberately treads a very fine line between tacky melodrama and supreme originality, overall Baz Luhrmann has succeeded in creating a bold, strikingly visual, and dynamic interpretation of Shakespeare’s play.

Luhrmann displays an inventiveness which Shakespeare himself could have respected, and he scatters ironic references to the bard’s work throughout his film. The seedy pool hall where Romeo and Benvolio discuss love and lust is called “The Globe”, and numerous advertising billboards use familiar slogans – a brand of rum claims to be “The stuff that dreams are made of”. The film’s very contemporary cinematography cleverly highlights the themes and wordplay of the original script. The technique of speeding up sections of film may be purely for effect, but it fits well with the repeated references to passing time in the script of the play. The contrast of light and dark is also emphasised throughout the film as it is in “Romeo and Juliet”, the play. However, in the scene where Mercutio is stabbed, the apocalyptic, darkening sky is just a tad melodramatic.

The film’s consciousness that it is transferring a traditional play into a modern setting becomes almost a running joke. The rival Capulet and Montague ‘gangs’ twirl pistols rather than duelling with swords, and a close-up of one of the guns shows the brand name “Sword”. This old/new gimmick would rapidly wear thin if the film didn’t have a strong appeal of its own. The profusion of stylistic quirks and visual kitsche, (with Catholic memorabilia lending a bizarre overtone), may verge on overkill, but the audience does not lose focus or emotional involvement in the central love story.

Luhrmann wisely does not tamper with the original romantic representation here, although he has added some new elements. Appropriately, Romeo and Juliet are dressed in traditional costumes for the Capulet’s party; Juliet in pure white as an angel, Romeo in the chain mail of a chivalrous knight, in stark contrast to the trashy colour of the other guests (particularly Mercutio, who arrives in drag). Use of water adds freshness to the famous balcony scene and to the first meeting between Romeo and Juliet at the Capulet’s party, and emphasises the purity and idealism of the star crossed lovers in a chaotic, decadent environment. A scene where the lovers swim secretly together in a pool while one of the Capulet’s armed guards stands ominously nearby, epitomises this.

The two lead actors are convincingly passionate; Di Caprio manages to play Romeo as impulsive, and romantic but not effeminate, while Claire Danes is perfect as an innocent and strong willed Juliet. The other, more mature actors, are excellent in their supporting roles – particularly a tattooed Peter Postlethwaite as the idealistic Friar Laurence, and Miriam Margoyles as
Juliet’s fickle nurse.

The contemporary setting, (in a city which is a combination of Los Angeles and Mexico City), is extremely effective. It is not clear cut reality, but almost super-real, in a stunning combination of grimy-retro and decadently futuristic. The aristocratic family rivalry of “Romeo and Juliet”, the play, is transformed into gritty mafia gang-land hostility. As an Australian director, Luhrmann has presented a twisted take on the American setting which would never have come from the Hollywood perspective. “Romeo and Juliet”, the film, presents a violent, self indulgent and media-obsessed picture of American society, but in a strangely fascinated, rather than a critical way. In fact, the film highlights the techniques of popular media – it opens with a news anchor’s surprisingly effective reading of the chorus’s traditional sonnet, and the characters are introduced with their names as if they were the stars of a soap opera.

While some comparisons can be drawn between “Romeo and Juliet” and Baz Luhrmann’s last feature “Strictly Ballroom” – both are romantic melodrama, and both use similar cinematographic techniques to punctuate the action – Luhrmann’s latest film has more depth, maturity and style, and a far more experienced cast. It will probably appeal most to a young target audience – particularly with a soundtrack which includes bands like Garbage and Radiohead. This version of “Romeo and Juliet” may not be for Shakespearean purists who could object to the Queen Mab speech being given overtones of LSD induced hallucinations, or the interesting treatment of the ending of the play. However, this film is packed with as much symbolism, thematic complexity and style as any Shakespearean production could hope for. It captures the original essence of the play (love conquering hate) but cleverly applies it to a current situation, clearly suggesting that nothing in four centuries has really changed.