Romeo + Juliet
1996 · Directed by Baz Luhrmann
Original language: English
- drama
- romance
The story
In this 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.
What it’s like
Saturated, hyper-colored frames give this film its hum: Verona Beach glows in sodium-orange heat haze, neon pinks and Day-Glo greens, and cathedral-like gold leaf in the Capulet mansion's candlelit rooms. Camera moves are restless and kinetic, with rapid cuts, swooping crane shots, and slow-motion pauses where the score swells with lush orchestral strings and a pulsing Nellee Hooper-style electronic undercurrent. The sound mixes Shakespearean verse delivered in modern cadence with pop and Radiohead-era alt-rock, so the rhythm feels frantic and operatic at once. Vibe: feverish, sun-drenched romance tipped toward doom. It suits a late-night watch when you want spectacle and ache rather than quiet. Pacing is fast and driven, and the emotional register swings between giddy infatuation and grief. Its central pair are two impulsive teenagers whose love is intense and reckless, and the arc is one of escalating desperation. Intensity is high: frequent gunfire, a fatal shootout, stabbings, a suicide, and a bloody final act, with some sensual content and kissing. Best for viewers who enjoy operatic, stylised tragedy and are comfortable with violence.
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