Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
In Verona, bad blood between the Montague and Capulet families leads to much bitterness. Despite the hostility, Romeo Montague manages an invitation to a masked ball at the estate of the Capulets and meets Juliet, their daughter. The two are instantly smitten but dismayed to learn that their families are enemies. Romeo and Juliet figure out a way to pursue their romance, but Romeo is banished for his part in the slaying of Juliet's cousin, Tybalt.
This 2013 adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet directed by Carlo Carlei offers handsome Italian locations and period costumes, but largely fails to distinguish itself among the many film versions. The plot faithfully follows the source material, which remains compelling, but the screenplay by Julian Fellowes modernizes the language in ways that strip much of Shakespeare's poetry. The acting is uneven — Hailee Steinfeld brings more to Juliet than Douglas Booth's fairly bland Romeo, with older supporting cast members like Damian Lewis and Lesley Manville outperforming the leads. Cinematography benefits from authentic Verona locations and lush production design, though it rarely transcends standard period drama visuals. Novelty is low — this is well-trodden territory, and the adaptation makes no bold artistic choices to set it apart from Zeffirelli's 1968 classic or Luhrmann's 1996 reinvention. The ending follows the tragedy faithfully and retains emotional weight thanks to the source material, even if the execution is middling.