Romeo + Juliet (1996)

Stars	User	Rating
11	BillyShears	70 _53rd
I am going to bombard these people with garish campy visuals they’ll think they know what is going on. A bunch of idiot peasants crammed into the Globe theatre pretending like they can follow any of this dialogue but maybe they’ll see a boob, nothing has changed in 400+ years.
4	BeeDub	82 _50th
Well, it's definitely unique - I can't think of another Shakespeare adaptation more obsessed with making itself "hip" and "relevant" to the young'uns. It's full of the same excessive glitz-n-glam style as Luhrmann's later "Moulin Rouge!", but not as effective. Not a terrible movie, but hardly a rousing success.
3	TripleSH	40 _25th
I'll chalk this one up as a failure. Tis movie would have benefitted a lot more and been less cheesy if they had just kept the original setting and time period. It's still a good way to introduce a new generation to Shakespeare, but just...ech.
3	Wizbang	88 _78th
A fantastic movie if you don't take it seriously and you don't have a hardon about the "purity of shakespeare's work" or some such rubbish.
3	Alex Watkins	4 _70th
Kinda loses some steam towards the end, especially once you've become acclimated to the gaudy style, but damn, it's such a cool idea carried off with unwavering commitment.
3	ZachReviews	20 _9th
It's ridiculous. The greatest line of dialogue is when one of the characters asks for his broadsword and he gets handed a chrome shotgun. That entire piece of dialogue deserves the 20 points this film is being given by me. It's stupid. Stupid. STUPID. Stupid.
3	Paxton	70 _63rd
It took Baz Luhrmann, the least dialed back guy I can think of, to get a performance out of John Leguizamo that didn't make it look like his head was going to explode from having too much energy.
2	TonythePony	62 _35th
Dire Straits did it better, and much quicker.
2	Nroo	73 _52nd
It's like when you mix all the fountain drinks into one cup.
2	Noblet	40 _14th
you dated shakespeare to the mid-90's, good job baz you crazy idiot.
1	Magb	50 _15th
Interesting idea, but it doesn't come together in a big way.
1	svicciarelli	88 _68th
Good adaptation. Seethes with a life all its own.
1	ServantDagon	84 _64th
Frenetic and cool adaptation of the classic love story.
1	Filligan	42 _4th
This isn't artsy, this isn't clever. This is combining our modern world with the language of Shakespeare's and that's just stupid. They should have modernized the original dialogue; instead we get this garbage that does not make any sense when both worlds mix. Maybe the writers forgot to mention that everyone in Shakespeare's time had made a time machine, came to 1996, adapted to the world and started using guns as swords... ONLY THEY NEVER GRASPED HOW TO SPEAK CORRECTLY!
1	TheDiceman	60 _62nd
Liked it.
1	Kojiless	6 _4th
Shakespeare would be rolling in his grave...if he actually had existed! Suck that, sophomore year lit prof!
1	Ytadel	6 _70th
Baz Luhrmann has an eye for lush visual composition, it has some amusing updates on the formula (i.e. the "sword" brand guns), much of the casting is solid (Harold Perrineau steals all his scenes), and it was written by Shakespeare. Not half bad.
1	PeaceAnarchy	60 _12th
The whole movie is one big gimmick. Visually it's pretty good but otherwise it just doesn't work. There's no reason to transport Shakespearean dialogue into a 20th century setting, especially when the lines are delivered way too quickly. Romeo and Juliet already has problems with believability and changing the setting just makes everything seem absurd.
1	Shmendrek	3 _61st
It's fucking awesome that this was ever as popular as it was. It gets extra points just for that.
1	Boobjuice	52 _50th
An interesting experiment that is... somewhat meh.
1	gtrmp	70 _49th
Dear The Cast Of Baz Luhrman's Romeo Juliet: "Shouting every other word" is not exactly the same as "emoting".
1	recklessmess	45 _25th
The plus was a nice touch. Also, writing sword or whatever the fuck was on the side of the gun. I get that Luhrmann thinks we're all idiots and has to literally spell everything out for us, but then again, this is the dickhead who who did Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen), so you know, fuck that guy. Still, the 90s were great, huh?
1	gse	1 _0th
this offends my soul
1	Jeb	63 _42nd
A generally amusing update and modernized amendment of the eponymous classic. It's neat that Luhrmann took the play's normal dialogue and matched it up with our corresponding surroundings and world of today. My only complaint is the fact that when Dicaprio's name is mentioned, tweens and women everywhere start to wet their panties and immediately watch it again only to soil themselves once more. At least now Dicaprio is getting good roles. Anyway, decent.
1	TV+Film-Hub	0 _3rd
A true W.T.F? were they thinking saying their "thees" and "thous" while pumping gas into their catties.
1	Herzdame	0 _8th
Yes, Leonardo DiCaprio was ridiculously handsome in this, but that is no reason to like the piss-poor waste of the 16 mm Bolex H16 Reflex.
1	Broodfath3r	90 _97th
One of the greatest love storys ever told.... and this is by far my favorite adaptation.
1	hellboy76	65 _45th
I cannot fault it for being unoriginal. Although the translation of Shakespeare to modern times is not wholly successful, it does hold one's attention and there is no doubting Luhrmann's eye for visual flair. DiCaprio and Danes are pleasant if not slightly underwhelming, and as previously stated, often have scenes stolen out from under them by the capable supporting cast.
1	RandallODim	65 _17th
Most of these points are for Harol Perrineau being the best Mercutio. Because he really really is.
1	lex	60 _14th
A pretty cool idea, I guess, and it's not terribly put together, I guess. But as a lover of Shakespeare I thought this was pretty damn stupid.
1	gogolit	95 _99th
This is how Shakespeare would've made R&J. Bullrush of stylish hyperemotion that elevates a story that is often dragged down by low energy tame renditions, to its true staggering emotive potential. Uniquely creative direction. Inspired use of story that mirrors perfectly this strange, passionate, dystopian, luminously catholic, Latino-Amero-Pacific themed setting. Baz fully leans into the extravagant overemotion of the script in all ways, and gives the lines the focus and respect they deserve.
1	JPFerguson	55 _40th
Many years since I last viewed this - during high school - and I don't remember much about it. But I do recall that it was a 'cool' viewing experience at the time.

Average Percentile 45.13% from 7361 Ratings