• ALL
  • NEWS
    • GAY MOVIE/ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
    • GAY FILM TRAILERS
    • GENERAL MOVIE NEWS & TRAILERS
  • GAY SHORTS & SERIES
  • REVIEWS
    • GAY FILM REVIEWS
    • CINEMA REVIEWS
    • DVD & BLU-RAY REVIEWS
  • BGPS BLOG
  • COMPS
  • ABOUT
    • Contact Us
    • Join The Team
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Gays On Film – A Short History

Big Gay Picture Show

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema and more

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema & more

Romeo & Juliet (2013) (Blu-ray)

February 3, 2014 By Tim Isaac 1 Comment

Starring: Douglas Booth, Hailee Steinfeld, Ed Westwick, Damian Lewis, Kodi Smit-McPhee
Director: Carlo Carlei
Running Time: 118 mins
Certificate: 12
Release Date: February 3rd 2014

There was plenty of eye-rolling when it was announced a new version of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet was in the works. Many asked whether after Franco Zeferelli and Baz Luhrmann’s versions, we needed another take. However in my opinion there’s no real problem with doing Romeo & Juliet on film again – but you do need to bring something new to the party, or at least do the old stuff so well it’s riveting in its own right.

Sadly this take doesn’t manage either. It manages the seemingly contrary feat of feeling so old-fashioned that it’s almost preserved in amber, while also having brand new and unnecessary dialogue (courtesy of Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes) that’s a little jarring to those who know the play.

You probably know the plot, which follows Romeo Montague, who despite his family being in a bitter conflict with the rival Capulets, decides to go to one of their parties in the hope of seeing the beautiful Rosaline. However once there Rosaline is forgotten the moment he sees Juliet Capulet. It’s immediately star-crossed lovers time, with Romeo and Juliet deciding they must wed in secret. However the rivalry between the families bubbles up in ways that never did have more woe.

Many have criticised Douglas Booth and Hailee Steinfeld in the title roles, saying they’re completely outshone by old hands such as Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti. However to my mind they’re all pretty much on a par as nobody is given much to work with. There’s a slight sensation you’d get as good a production with a very good amateur dramatics group. It’s not really their fault, as the film shows so little imagination and is so intent on underplaying some of the more famous moments (seemingly not appreciating why they’re famous), that it sucks the magic and romance out of the entire thing. It certainly doesn’t help that Fellowes’ new dialogue often doesn’t sound quite right, using modern phrasing that doesn’t fit with the rest of the play.

It’s particularly problematic as the plot on the play is actually pretty implausible if you spend any time thinking about it, but it transcends that thanks to some of the most incandescent dialogue in the English language. However here it’s all flattened out to the point where the dafter parts of the story are laid bare and as a result the romance feels forced.

Much of the blame must go to director Carlo Carlei’s, who films the whole thing in a way that’s as old-fashioned as his approach to the play. Indeed at times it hits notes that get clumsily close to panto.

On the plus side it looks gorgeous (as do many of the actors), which you really can breathe in on Blu-ray. The costume designers must have been given about half the budget and they spent it well, with glorious renaissance clothing that look tremendous. There’s also little doubt that actually shooting in Italy and using plenty of the country’s medieval locations adds to the feel of the movie. It’s just a shame so much attention was paid to this side of the film and so little to ensuring it did justice to Shakespeare’s story.

Overall Verdict: Despite looking the part, this new Romeo & Juliet’s takes of the classic tale is so anaemic it’s less star-crossed and more by-the-numbers.

Reviewer: Tim Isaac

Wanna share?:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Flipboard (Opens in new window) Flipboard
  • More
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
Overall Rating 5outof10

Related

Filed Under: DVD and BLU-RAY REVIEWS

Comments

  1. Ellen Spear says

    October 6, 2014 at 4:06 am

    I agree with the review overall. At times it’s clear the makers of this film had seen and were paying homage to the Zeffirelli version. But the only actors bringing the tragedy were Paul Giametti (so excellent at conveying the depth of feeling of the character and situation) and Damien Lewis, with Natascha McElhone a close third. The two youngsters at times appeared to be in a high school play. Long live Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting!

    Reply

Leave a Reply (if comment does not appear immediately, it may have been held for moderation)Cancel reply

Search this site:

We're Needy, Be Our Friend

RSSTwitterFacebookStumbleUponMySpace

E-maily Stuff

Get the latest in our daily e-mail

Most Recent Posts

Young Hunter Trailer – First teen gay love takes a dark turn into blackmail

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie Trailer – The hit gay, drag West End musical is coming to the screen

Iris Prize Festival LGBT+ International Short Films 2020 – Part 3 (Short Film Reviews)

Iris Prize Festival LGBT+ International Short Films 2020 – Part 2 (Short Film Reviews)

Iris Prize Festival LGBT+ International Short Films 2020 – Part 1 (Short Film Reviews)

The Scottish Queer International Film Festival 2020 Has Opened, & It’s Online Across The UK

The Iris Prize LGBT Short Film Festival Returns Next Week, & It’s Online & Free!

An Apology From Big Gay Picture Show

Win The Miseducation of Cameron Post DVD & Book!

Seventeen Trailer – The vagaries of teen romance erupt in the lesbian-themed film

My Best Friend Trailer – Gay romance flickers between two teen boys

New Sauvage Trailer – The gay prostitute movie that divided Cannes is coming soon

We're Needy, Be Our Friend

RSSTwitterFacebook

E-maily Stuff

Get all the latest from BGPS in our daily e-mail

Blogroll

  • Blinkbox – Gay & Lesbian
  • DoorQ
  • Movie Muser
  • Peccadillo Pictures
  • Peccapics Blog
  • TLA Gay (UK)
  • TLA Releasing (UK)
  • TQS Magazine

Copyright © 2025 Muser Media · Powered by WordPress & Genesis Framework · Log in

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're OK with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Read More Accept Reject
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT