It has the look of someone sitting in front of the mirror painting themselves silly with all the finest cosmetic supplies while singing 'I feel pretty.'

| Original Score: 1.5/4.0 | Sep 21, 2020

With well over 150 adaptations and imaginations of what is perhaps Shakespeare's most famous, and definitely most adapted, work on screen, director Carlo Carlei's new Romeo & Juliet is, in a word, masterful.

| Jan 7, 2020

The language is handled beautifully and the acting is solid; but, for lack of Shakespearian prose, this retelling just lacks umph.

| Original Score: 6/10 | Nov 6, 2018

The fact that this "love" is really little more than lust and rebellion is ignored by everyone involved - though at least the lust waits until marriage to be consummated.

| Nov 29, 2017

There isn't an interesting new point of view here (unless it's that violence is bad and sometimes after a tragedy, you just have to mend fences and move on -- but that's hardly a new idea, and the story isn't meant to be beat-you-over-the-head didactic).

| Jun 28, 2017

This Romeo and Juliet is set on its disappointing course, and it can't be deterred. What a bummer.

| Original Score: 1/5 | Jan 9, 2017

While the setting and the costumes are in keeping with the tale, you can't help but feel as if you are watching a grandiose stage production.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Mar 28, 2016

A stuffy, old-fashioned production shot on distractingly spotless sets. It lumbers along in search of a reason to exist.

| May 5, 2015

Pretty but, ultimately, flat.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Mar 27, 2014

Been a while since Shakespeare's star-crossed smoochers got some big-screen love. Going on the so-so outcome here, no one would have minded waiting a little longer.

| Original Score: 2.5/5 | Mar 26, 2014

A sharply adapted version of the classic love story, stunningly visualised and tightly directed.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Mar 25, 2014

Carlei's film is beautiful but sterile, and seems nervous its audience will be bored to the extent that there seem to be more sword fights than usual. Only Paul Giamatti's touching turn as the Friar stays in the mind when this passionless film is over.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 21, 2014

It's a bit turgid at times and the plot plods in the establishment scenes, but then the swell of romance and the flush of first love works its magic through its photogenic young stars

| Mar 20, 2014

To service the cause of bringing Shakespeare to new, young audiences, almost anything is permitted. But destroying the poetry defeats the whole purpose of doing it in the first place.

| Feb 12, 2014

It just goes to show that if you don't have the proper elements in place for such an adaptation, then it's going to be difficult to get the audience involved in the story, especially when it's one that they've seen countless times before.

| Original Score: 2.5/5 | Feb 7, 2014

Though the film does have its strong points, Romeo and Juliet are out shined by skilled supporting players in Carlo Carlei's uneven adaptation of this classic love story.

| Original Score: 6/10 | Jan 27, 2014

To put it plainly, Carlo Carlei's version of Romeo and Juliet is the worst Shakespeare movie adaptation I've ever seen.

| Original Score: 1.5/4 | Oct 24, 2013

... hits the highlights but only mildly captures the spirit of Shakespeare's original.

| Oct 18, 2013

I know this thing's been kicking almost half a millennium, but is it too much to ask for a little invention?

| Original Score: 1.5/5 | Oct 18, 2013

It's all such a prettily-spoken blur to care much.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Oct 17, 2013