February, 1997
Romeo & Juliet
Verona Beach is a densely populated Latin-American
coastal metropolis in which fear, violence and crime mold the
atmosphere. Ruled is the city by two rival families, the
Montagues and the Capulets. When their juniors Romeo (Leonardo
DiCaprio) and Juliet Claire Danes) meet on a fancy-dress ball, it
is love at first sight. However, the teenagers must keep their
relationship secret - not only because Juliet's father (Paul
Sorvino) wants his daughter to marry a rich business partner for
whom Juliet feels no affection. Not esteeming the severe reality,
Romeo and Juliet get married in a secret ceremony, which Juliet's
old friend Father Laurence (Pete Postlethwait) solemnizes. When
shortly afterwards the Capulet-nephew Tybalt (John Leguizamo)
kills Romeo's best friend Mercution (Harold Perrineau) in a
bloody argument, Romeo shoots the cold-blooded murderer in the
heat of the moment. Helped by Father Laurence Romeo must leave
the city. Yet after a couple of days the separation becomes so
unbearable for Juliet that she wants to commit suicide. Father
Laurence talks the young girl out of it and suggests a plan to
Juliet that shall bring her forever together with Romeo... Buz (their
spelling) Luhrmann brings the classical Shakespearean tragedy to
the big screen and transports the old textes into a modern
environment- a picture-mighty, contemporary interpretation of the
greatest love story the world has ever known.
