Romeo + Juliet (1996) is the best film adaptation of Shakespeare’s play

Photo Courtesy of Anton Kotlovskii- Pexels

The film Romeo + Juliet (1996) answers the question we have all been asking: what happens if we give Shakespeare’s characters guns? This modern adaption does more than bless high schoolers with a glimpse at young Leonardo Dicaprio, a feeling rivaled only by watching The Outsiders (1983) in middle school. It is an exciting and unique take on a timeless but tired story. By replacing the feuding families with rival gangs and Italy with a California beach, director Baz Luhrmann created what I consider to be the best adaptation of the 1597 play. 

Considering I am someone who cares far too much about historical accuracy, you might assume I take issue with the lack of regard for the late sixteenth century setting, but Luhrmann’s creative choices surrounding the setting and time frame are what make this such a great film. 

This film does the job it sets out to do: give a modern and new approach to the iconic but overdone story. The change in setting is the biggest difference between the film and the original play, but it allows for the characters to take on a new life. Duels seem more realistic and intimidating when Tybalt is given a gun rather than a sword, and it is much easier for an audience to care about a character like Mercutio when he is shown to be a fun, young man with a talent for drag, rather than just another guy in tights (Romeo and Juliet (1968), I am looking at you). It would be a shame not to mention the star-studded cast, award-winning soundtrack, as well as the delicious sets and costume design. The movie is entirely gorgeous and perfectly captures the romance and youth of the original.

The setting being 1990s California not only creates a realistic version of the story, but a more accessible one too. Notably, the dialogue is still in Early Modern English from the original play, which I think is a genius creative choice to avoid separating the story too far from its original, but also recontextualize the scenes to make them both new and possibly easier to understand. Shakespeare’s flowery language can be frustrating and confusing to those unfamiliar with it, but seeing them spoken in a new and modern context makes it more digestible. 

While there are many films that modernize Shakespearean literature, such as 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) with The Taming of the Shrew according to Digital Spy, or She’s the Man (2006) with Twelfth Night according to Business Insider, this one stands out as being much closer to the original adaption. With the assumption that most of the audience would know the story to some extent, Luhrmann was able to bend major aspects of the original to fit a seemingly new story. This film has merit outside of an English class. It is a gorgeous and exciting take on a classic story, unlike any other adaptation I have seen.