Written by Charlotte Bell
Carlo Carlei’s adaptation of Romeo and Juliet starring Douglas Booth and Hailee Steinfeld as the star-cross’d lovers is finally in our cinemas, and after a long wait for the film I was certainly not disappointed.
In comparison to Baz Luhrmann’s 1997 adaptation of Shakespeare’s most famous love story starring Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio, Carlei brings Romeo and Juliet back to its origins in his new film. The look of the film is beautifully authentic; from Juliet’s stunning rose covered balcony to the fresco-adorned buildings and striking painted ceilings. The costumes and masquerade ball are too enchanting.
The chemistry between Steinfeld and Booth is intense; you certainly feel that Romeo and Juliet’s love is just as quick and passionate as Shakespeare originally wrote it; it truly is love at first sight. There was some controversy over the casting of Hailee Steinfeld at such a young age (14!) – but this I felt added to the authenticity of the film as she was almost the same age as Juliet was intended to be in the original text. Lucky Steinfeld even had a hand in casting her Romeo, and Booth certainly fitted the bill. Let us pause a moment to gaze at possibly the most beautiful Romeo the world has ever seen…
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The supporting cast are equally engaging. Ed Westwick positively smoulders as Tybalt and Christian Cooke’s Mercutio is excellently portrayed; their fight scene being one of the highlights for me. Paul Giamatti shines as Friar Laurence, bringing this often slightly strange character right into the heart of the film. His discovery of the doomed Romeo and Juliet at the end is completely heart breaking, so prepared to shed a tear! Be sure to look out for Homeland’s Damien Lewis as Juliet’s father Lord Capulet, who also puts on a wonderful performance.
Shakespeare’s plays can often be difficult to follow, so it was refreshing to watch this film and be able to enjoy the story without struggling to understand what was going on. I’m sure this was largely due to the amazing cast who brought the story alive. Julian Fellowes (the brains behind Downton Abbey) wrote the screenplay and certainly seems to have passed on some of his magic. My only criticism was that dialogue was added, which at times jarred too much with the original script, and other really beautiful speeches were cut altogether (sorry to be a fussy English student, but this really annoyed me!) I think perhaps the filmmakers got slightly carried away by trying to make the film more accessible to modern audiences.
Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed Carlei’s Romeo and Juliet. If you are new to Shakespeare, this adaptation will ease you in gently and there is plenty of enjoyment to be had from the dedication to the original story. It seems that this story of fated young lovers still has a hold on 21st Century audiences.
Photo Credits: www.graziadaily.co.uk, www.sexwick.tumblr.com, www.theguardian.com