Romeo + Juliet

1996 • 120 minutes

About this movie

Directed by Academy Award nominee Baz Luhrman (Moulin Rouge), this adaption of the classic Shakespearean play is passionate, visceral, sexy, violent, and other-worldly. Set in the mythical city of Verona Beach, the Montague's and Capulet's are two feuding families whose children meet and fall in love. Romeo (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Juliet (Claire Danes) must hide their love from the world... but with tragic consequences.

Ratings and reviews

Unexpectedly modern twist on a timeless classic. I loved it in the 90s & still do now. Tragic commentary on love and societal constraints. This contemporary version helps me better grasp the antiquated Elizabethan language of Shakespeare's time so I can more fully appreciate the subtler nuances of his creative talent, tragic as his magnificent stories are.

Shakespeare's most famous tragedy brought into present day...well 1997, but still with the original dialogue of the Bard plus Baz Lurhman's crazy twisted visualizations. Its artfully done and I love it.

One of the worst adaptations of a Shakespearean play I have ever seen. The first time I saw this I felt utterly insulted as I am a big fan of Shakespeare. I felt that the entire cast were miscast and that the story did not need a modern update. After this movie I stayed away from Leonardo's movies for a while. Never watched it again.