There’s been a lot of heat around London’s new Romeo & Juliet, understandably so given its pairing of director Jamie Lloyd (Betrayal, A Doll’s House), known for his radical remodeling of classics, usually around A-list actors, with young global superstar Tom Holland. The latter is returning to the stage for the first time since Billy Elliot: The Musical at the very start of his career, his name causing tickets to sell out in just two hours.
It’s ironic, then, that one thing this production itself lacks is heat — romantic, dramatic, tragic heat. There is much to commend, but it suffers from a single, strategic mistake on the director’s part, to mute the action, quite literally, since much of it is played in whispers and mumbles; even miked, at times the actors are barely audible. The result is that this tale of violent family rivalry and courageous...
It’s ironic, then, that one thing this production itself lacks is heat — romantic, dramatic, tragic heat. There is much to commend, but it suffers from a single, strategic mistake on the director’s part, to mute the action, quite literally, since much of it is played in whispers and mumbles; even miked, at times the actors are barely audible. The result is that this tale of violent family rivalry and courageous...
- 5/26/2024
- by Demetrios Matheou
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The producers of a forthcoming West End production of Romeo and Juliet, starring Tom Holland, have condemned “deplorable racial abuse” aimed at his co-star Francesca Amewudah-Rivers who plays Juliet.
The Spider-Man actor will play Romeo in the new production in London, and its full cast was announced last week.
Now, the BBC reports that Jamie Lloyd Company said there had been a “barrage of deplorable racial abuse directed towards a member of company.”
Their statement said:
“This must stop. We are working with a remarkable group of artists. We insist that they are free to create work without facing online harassment. We will continue to support and protect everyone in our company at all costs. Any abuse will not be tolerated and will be reported. Bullying and harassment have no place online, in our industry or in our wider communities.”
Amewudah-Rivers is making her West End debut in the play,...
The Spider-Man actor will play Romeo in the new production in London, and its full cast was announced last week.
Now, the BBC reports that Jamie Lloyd Company said there had been a “barrage of deplorable racial abuse directed towards a member of company.”
Their statement said:
“This must stop. We are working with a remarkable group of artists. We insist that they are free to create work without facing online harassment. We will continue to support and protect everyone in our company at all costs. Any abuse will not be tolerated and will be reported. Bullying and harassment have no place online, in our industry or in our wider communities.”
Amewudah-Rivers is making her West End debut in the play,...
- 4/6/2024
- by Caroline Frost
- Deadline Film + TV
The Duke of York Theatre in London’s West End has shared a statement challenging what it described as the “deplorable” racist abuse it has clocked online following the reveal of the cast for its forthcoming production of Romeo & Juliet.
In the production, newcomer Francesca Amewudah-Rivers, a woman of color, has been cast as Juliet opposite Tom Holland, who will be Romeo. We reported on the production last week.
Today’s statement shared by The Duke of York on X, but attributed to The Jamie Lloyd Company, said the company has since received a “barrage” of online racist abuse directed towards members of its company.
“This must stop,” the statement read.
“We are working with a remarkable group of artists. We insist that they are free to create work without facing online harassment. We will continue to support and protect everyone in our company at all costs. Any abuse...
In the production, newcomer Francesca Amewudah-Rivers, a woman of color, has been cast as Juliet opposite Tom Holland, who will be Romeo. We reported on the production last week.
Today’s statement shared by The Duke of York on X, but attributed to The Jamie Lloyd Company, said the company has since received a “barrage” of online racist abuse directed towards members of its company.
“This must stop,” the statement read.
“We are working with a remarkable group of artists. We insist that they are free to create work without facing online harassment. We will continue to support and protect everyone in our company at all costs. Any abuse...
- 4/5/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Tom Holland has concluded the hunt for his Juliet in the new production of Romeo & Juliet that he will star in on the West End.
The 27-year-old Spider-Man actor is set to play Romeo in the retelling of Shakespeare’s iconic and tragic love story. He’ll be sharing the stage with newcomer Francesca Amewudah-Rivers on opening night!
Keep reading to find out more…
Deadline confirmed that Francesca would play Juliet in the adaptation, which opens on May 23 at the Duke of York’s Theatre.
The cast will also feature Freema Agyeman (Nurse), Michael Balogun (Friar), Tomiwa Edun (Capulet), Mia Jerome (Montague), Daniel Quinn-Toye (Paris), Ray Sesay (Tybalt), Nima Taleghani (Benvolio) and Joshua-Alexander Williams (Mercutio), according to the outlet.
“Beyond excited to announce our cast for Romeo and Juliet,” Tom gushed in a statement, adding, “I can’t wait to get started and I know we’ll create something really special together.
The 27-year-old Spider-Man actor is set to play Romeo in the retelling of Shakespeare’s iconic and tragic love story. He’ll be sharing the stage with newcomer Francesca Amewudah-Rivers on opening night!
Keep reading to find out more…
Deadline confirmed that Francesca would play Juliet in the adaptation, which opens on May 23 at the Duke of York’s Theatre.
The cast will also feature Freema Agyeman (Nurse), Michael Balogun (Friar), Tomiwa Edun (Capulet), Mia Jerome (Montague), Daniel Quinn-Toye (Paris), Ray Sesay (Tybalt), Nima Taleghani (Benvolio) and Joshua-Alexander Williams (Mercutio), according to the outlet.
“Beyond excited to announce our cast for Romeo and Juliet,” Tom gushed in a statement, adding, “I can’t wait to get started and I know we’ll create something really special together.
- 3/28/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
The Jamie Lloyd Company today announced the full cast for the upcoming West End production of Romeo & Juliet, with newcomer Francesca Amewudah-Rivers confirmed as Juliet opposite Tom Holland.
Also starring in the anticipated Jamie Lloyd-directed show will be Freema Agyeman (Nurse), Michael Balogun (Friar), Tomiwa Edun (Capulet), Mia Jerome (Montague), Daniel Quinn-Toye (Paris), Ray Sesay (Tybalt), Nima Taleghani (Benvolio), Joshua-Alexander Williams (Mercutio) and Callum Heinrich and Kody Mortimer (Camera Operators).
Romeo & Juliet opens at the Duke of York’s Theatre on Thursday 23 May with previews from Saturday 11 May, and runs until Saturday 3 August 2024.
Amewudah-Rivers previously appeared in two seasons of BBC series Bad Education and three short films. She has stage experience in productions at the Globe and Lyric Hammersmith among other venues. The Daily Mail had speculated on her casting in recent weeks.
Holland said today: “Beyond excited to announce our cast for Romeo and Juliet.
Also starring in the anticipated Jamie Lloyd-directed show will be Freema Agyeman (Nurse), Michael Balogun (Friar), Tomiwa Edun (Capulet), Mia Jerome (Montague), Daniel Quinn-Toye (Paris), Ray Sesay (Tybalt), Nima Taleghani (Benvolio), Joshua-Alexander Williams (Mercutio) and Callum Heinrich and Kody Mortimer (Camera Operators).
Romeo & Juliet opens at the Duke of York’s Theatre on Thursday 23 May with previews from Saturday 11 May, and runs until Saturday 3 August 2024.
Amewudah-Rivers previously appeared in two seasons of BBC series Bad Education and three short films. She has stage experience in productions at the Globe and Lyric Hammersmith among other venues. The Daily Mail had speculated on her casting in recent weeks.
Holland said today: “Beyond excited to announce our cast for Romeo and Juliet.
- 3/28/2024
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Nicholas Braun, Tommy Dewey and Nicholas Podany have joined the cast of Sony Pictures’ SNL 1975, which will be directed by Jason Reitman and based on the real-life behind-the-scenes accounts of the opening episode of Saturday Night Live.
Braun will play Jim Henson, Dewey will play Michael O’Donoghue, and Podany will play Billy Crystal. The original screenplay is by Reitman and Gil Kenan.
On October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. SNL 1975 is the true story of what happened behind the scenes that night in the moments leading up to the first broadcast of NBC’s Saturday Night Live. It depicts the chaos and magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, counting down the minutes in real time to the infamous words, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”
The screenplay is based on an extensive series of interviews conducted by...
Braun will play Jim Henson, Dewey will play Michael O’Donoghue, and Podany will play Billy Crystal. The original screenplay is by Reitman and Gil Kenan.
On October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. SNL 1975 is the true story of what happened behind the scenes that night in the moments leading up to the first broadcast of NBC’s Saturday Night Live. It depicts the chaos and magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, counting down the minutes in real time to the infamous words, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”
The screenplay is based on an extensive series of interviews conducted by...
- 3/7/2024
- by Justin Kroll and Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Live theater serves a therapeutic role for the actors involved in “Ghostlight,” an emotional “let’s put on a show”-style indie that, fittingly enough, came together during last year’s actors strike. The sensitive — but also considerably more conservative — follow-up project for “Saint Frances” screenwriter Kelly O’Sullivan and co-director (and partner) Alex Thompson celebrates the healing power of art, as a family shaken by its eldest son’s suicide uses a community theater production of “Romeo and Juliet” to work through emotions they haven’t been able to discuss openly at home.
O’Sullivan has a natural storytelling gift, coupled with a knack for comedy. Here, she takes elements that feature regularly in Sundance Film Festival dramas — grieving families, difficult teens, small-town communities — and rearranges them into a surprising and moving narrative. (Small wonder that the film was invited to premiere in Park City.) Some might reject that approach as being manipulative,...
O’Sullivan has a natural storytelling gift, coupled with a knack for comedy. Here, she takes elements that feature regularly in Sundance Film Festival dramas — grieving families, difficult teens, small-town communities — and rearranges them into a surprising and moving narrative. (Small wonder that the film was invited to premiere in Park City.) Some might reject that approach as being manipulative,...
- 1/19/2024
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
The Try Guys will perform ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ and they’ll let their fans rewrite Shakespeare’s story
The Try Guys have tried everything from spicy noodles to corsets to labor pain. On August 10, the trio will attempt something a little bit different by performing William Shakespeare‘s Romeo and Juliet — with a twist. Instead of sticking to the script, The Try Guys will let their fans reinterpret The Bard’s iconic tragedy.
The one-night performance of Romeo and Juliet will feature Zach Kornfeld as the titular Montague prince, with Keith Habersberger playing his Capulet counterpart. Eugene Lee Yang will show off his versality by portraying many of the play’s other characters, including Mercutio, Paris, Friar Lawrence, and Juliet’s nurse.
Based on those casting choices, we’d expect all three Try Guys to end up dead at the end of the night. (Spoiler alert!) But that may not be how the show plays out. As fans watch the performance through interactive streaming platform Kiswe, they’ll...
The one-night performance of Romeo and Juliet will feature Zach Kornfeld as the titular Montague prince, with Keith Habersberger playing his Capulet counterpart. Eugene Lee Yang will show off his versality by portraying many of the play’s other characters, including Mercutio, Paris, Friar Lawrence, and Juliet’s nurse.
Based on those casting choices, we’d expect all three Try Guys to end up dead at the end of the night. (Spoiler alert!) But that may not be how the show plays out. As fans watch the performance through interactive streaming platform Kiswe, they’ll...
- 6/8/2023
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Ncuti Gatwa will take on a starring role in the BBC’s celebrations for King Charles III’s coronation.
The Doctor Who actor will perform excerpts from a William Shakespeare play at the Coronation Concert on May 7 as part of a collaboration between the Royal Shakespeare Company and other arts bodies.
The BBC did not confirm which Shakespeare play will be brought to life by Gatwa, but he has previously played Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet at Home Theatre Manchester and Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Shakespeare’s Globe.
Gatwa will be joined on stage at the Windsor Castle event by Mei Mac, who has starred in Call The Midwife and was Olivier Award-nominated for My Neighbour Totoro.
Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville will host the Coronation Concert, setting the scene for the evening’s entertainment and introducing acts as they take to the stage. Lionel Richie, Katy Perry,...
The Doctor Who actor will perform excerpts from a William Shakespeare play at the Coronation Concert on May 7 as part of a collaboration between the Royal Shakespeare Company and other arts bodies.
The BBC did not confirm which Shakespeare play will be brought to life by Gatwa, but he has previously played Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet at Home Theatre Manchester and Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Shakespeare’s Globe.
Gatwa will be joined on stage at the Windsor Castle event by Mei Mac, who has starred in Call The Midwife and was Olivier Award-nominated for My Neighbour Totoro.
Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville will host the Coronation Concert, setting the scene for the evening’s entertainment and introducing acts as they take to the stage. Lionel Richie, Katy Perry,...
- 4/20/2023
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Ari Notartomaso, Tricia Fukuhara, Cheyenne Wells and Marisa Davila in ‘Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies’ episode 4 (Photo Credit: Eduardo Araquel / Paramount+)
Paramount+’s Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies episode four kicks off in Jane’s bedroom with the Pink Ladies having a sleepover. Unfortunately, their night of makeovers and hanging out turns into an evening of worrying about what will happen Monday at school after they learn they’re being blamed for Buddy’s broken arm. The school newspaper has a scathing article blaming the Pink Ladies for injuring Rydell’s quarterback.
Cynthia (Ari Notartomaso) points out the newspaper’s run by Mr. Daniels and that he and Olivia (Cheyenne Isabel Wells) have a history. Jane (Marisa Davila) approaches the touchy subject very carefully and asks for more details. Olivia confesses they were in love.
It began with Olivia hanging around after class, progressed to discussing books and their lives,...
Paramount+’s Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies episode four kicks off in Jane’s bedroom with the Pink Ladies having a sleepover. Unfortunately, their night of makeovers and hanging out turns into an evening of worrying about what will happen Monday at school after they learn they’re being blamed for Buddy’s broken arm. The school newspaper has a scathing article blaming the Pink Ladies for injuring Rydell’s quarterback.
Cynthia (Ari Notartomaso) points out the newspaper’s run by Mr. Daniels and that he and Olivia (Cheyenne Isabel Wells) have a history. Jane (Marisa Davila) approaches the touchy subject very carefully and asks for more details. Olivia confesses they were in love.
It began with Olivia hanging around after class, progressed to discussing books and their lives,...
- 4/20/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, you’ll no doubt find a number of genre outlets running lists of horror movies to watch for the most romantic day of the year. Warm Bodies is likely to appear on most if not all of them, but there’s another reason to revisit the 2013 film this year: Lionsgate is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a 4K Ultra HD (with Blu-ray and Digital) edition in Steelbook packaging, available exclusively at Best Buy.
I realize Twilight is practically a pejorative on a horror site, but we probably wouldn’t have Warm Bodies if sparkling vampires hadn’t paved the way. Both films are coming-of-age romances with monsters based on young adult books. Warm Bodies has the added benefit of the proliferation of zombies in pop culture heralded by The Walking Dead, plus a sense of humor akin to Shaun of the Dead or Zombieland.
I realize Twilight is practically a pejorative on a horror site, but we probably wouldn’t have Warm Bodies if sparkling vampires hadn’t paved the way. Both films are coming-of-age romances with monsters based on young adult books. Warm Bodies has the added benefit of the proliferation of zombies in pop culture heralded by The Walking Dead, plus a sense of humor akin to Shaun of the Dead or Zombieland.
- 2/10/2023
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
Kaitlyn Dever may embody one of literature’s most overlooked characters in “Rosaline,” 20th Century Studios’ campy and modernized retelling of William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” from the perspective of the forgotten Capulet, but the Emmy-nominated actress is anything but.
Earning her first executive producing credit on the Hulu film (based on Rebecca Serle’s book “When You Were Mine”), the “Dopesick” star continues her ascent in Tinseltown, setting her sights on directing next and gushing about being featured opposite rom-com greats Julia Roberts and George Clooney in “Ticket to Paradise,” which debuts next week, in a recent interview with TheWrap.
“When I approached Rosaline, the way I developed the character and the process behind bringing this character to life was just really pushing any boundaries that I had been afraid of before,” Dever told TheWrap, “because Rosaline has an intensity and her intensity is the drive throughout the story in the film,...
Earning her first executive producing credit on the Hulu film (based on Rebecca Serle’s book “When You Were Mine”), the “Dopesick” star continues her ascent in Tinseltown, setting her sights on directing next and gushing about being featured opposite rom-com greats Julia Roberts and George Clooney in “Ticket to Paradise,” which debuts next week, in a recent interview with TheWrap.
“When I approached Rosaline, the way I developed the character and the process behind bringing this character to life was just really pushing any boundaries that I had been afraid of before,” Dever told TheWrap, “because Rosaline has an intensity and her intensity is the drive throughout the story in the film,...
- 10/15/2022
- by Natalie Oganesyan
- The Wrap
Before Leonardo DiCaprio was murdered by Rose DeWitt Bukater, he was Romeo. DiCaprio's role in Baz Luhrmann's bombastic "Romeo + Juliet" marked the beginning of his superstardom, and the film itself marked the beginning of the Cool Shakespeare boom of the 1990s. Suddenly, the Bard was hot again! Studios realized that if a beautiful, beautiful man like Leonardo DiCaprio could run around shouting in iambic pentameter and waving a gun while sobbing, there was room for more Stratford-upon-Avon badassery.
Obviously, Shakespeare film adaptations were nothing new by the 1990s. And altering the time and setting of Shakespeare's plays has been going on pretty much since the works were penned. But the '90s saw filmmakers twisting Shakespeare into pretzel shapes in the name of making it all so cool. This week sees the release of the ho-hum "Rosaline," which seems about two decades too late to cash in the Cool Shakespeare craze.
Obviously, Shakespeare film adaptations were nothing new by the 1990s. And altering the time and setting of Shakespeare's plays has been going on pretty much since the works were penned. But the '90s saw filmmakers twisting Shakespeare into pretzel shapes in the name of making it all so cool. This week sees the release of the ho-hum "Rosaline," which seems about two decades too late to cash in the Cool Shakespeare craze.
- 10/13/2022
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
No two people get their start in Hollywood the same way. Take Leonardo DiCaprio, for instance, who made his movie acting debut in, of all things, "Critters 3" in 1991. By that point, his peer Christian Bale had already worked on films with the likes of directors Steven Spielberg and Kenneth Branagh.
The duo's careers have deviated pretty wildly since then, even as they've evolved into two of the most respected working actors in their age bracket. Where DiCaprio has made it his practice to avoid superhero movies and sequels, Bale has starred in everything from "Terminator" films to movies about Batman and Thor, in-between far more esoteric and anti-commercial undertakings with Terrence Malick and Werner Herzog. But for all the ways their paths have differed from one another, the duo has also joined forces with many of the same directors, including Spielberg, Adam McKay, and Christopher Nolan.
There was even a...
The duo's careers have deviated pretty wildly since then, even as they've evolved into two of the most respected working actors in their age bracket. Where DiCaprio has made it his practice to avoid superhero movies and sequels, Bale has starred in everything from "Terminator" films to movies about Batman and Thor, in-between far more esoteric and anti-commercial undertakings with Terrence Malick and Werner Herzog. But for all the ways their paths have differed from one another, the duo has also joined forces with many of the same directors, including Spielberg, Adam McKay, and Christopher Nolan.
There was even a...
- 10/6/2022
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Everyone knows the story of Romeo and Juliet, but what about Romeo’s spurned lover, Rosaline? She’s been pushed to the side and forgotten about…until now. The new trailer for 20th Century Studios’ Rosaline tells the story of Romeo and Juliet from Rosaline’s point of view.
The trailer shows poor Rosaline is upset that her boyfriend is using the same lovely words to woo Juliet that he used on her just three days prior. Rosaline’s the one who’s supposed to be Romeo’s great love and future wife, yet Romeo doesn’t seem to care one iota that he’s so easily replaced her with her very own cousin. Damn the man.
Emmy Award nominee Kaitlyn Dever (Dopesick) stars as the titular character and serves as an executive producer. The cast also includes Sean Teale (Little Voice) as Dario, Minnie Driver (Speechless) as The Nurse,...
The trailer shows poor Rosaline is upset that her boyfriend is using the same lovely words to woo Juliet that he used on her just three days prior. Rosaline’s the one who’s supposed to be Romeo’s great love and future wife, yet Romeo doesn’t seem to care one iota that he’s so easily replaced her with her very own cousin. Damn the man.
Emmy Award nominee Kaitlyn Dever (Dopesick) stars as the titular character and serves as an executive producer. The cast also includes Sean Teale (Little Voice) as Dario, Minnie Driver (Speechless) as The Nurse,...
- 9/22/2022
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Thanks to his "Elvis" biopic, the king of cinematic excess is back on our minds, with plenty waxing poetic about how no one out there makes movies quite like Baz Luhrmann. Known for his larger than life films like "Strictly Ballroom," "Romeo + Juliet," and "The Great Gatsby," Luhrmann has become synonymous with spectacle, flashy production design, and soundtracks that make audiences feel alive in their seats. Sure, that does mean Luhrmann is unafraid to take whatever creative liberties he sees fit to execute his vision, so if you're looking toward the filmography of the man who turned Mercutio into...
The post Moulin Rouge! Nearly Had a Very Different A-List Lead in Place of Ewan McGregor appeared first on /Film.
The post Moulin Rouge! Nearly Had a Very Different A-List Lead in Place of Ewan McGregor appeared first on /Film.
- 7/5/2022
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Baz Luhrmann's "Romeo + Juliet" is an energetic retelling of Shakespeare's classic tale of star-crossed lovers. The film is brimming with passion and violence, but did you know that the film was just as chaotic behind the scenes as it was in front of the camera?
The 1996 film is set in the fictional Western city of Verona Beach, which resembles the debaucherous and colorful climate of Las Vegas. The Capulets and Montagues are rival crime families and their duels are dealt with handguns. When Mercutio (Harold Perrineau), a lovable drag queen, takes his friend Romeo Montague (Leonardo Dicaprio) to a costume...
The post Sickness, Storms, And A Kidnapping All Hit The Romeo + Juliet Set appeared first on /Film.
The 1996 film is set in the fictional Western city of Verona Beach, which resembles the debaucherous and colorful climate of Las Vegas. The Capulets and Montagues are rival crime families and their duels are dealt with handguns. When Mercutio (Harold Perrineau), a lovable drag queen, takes his friend Romeo Montague (Leonardo Dicaprio) to a costume...
The post Sickness, Storms, And A Kidnapping All Hit The Romeo + Juliet Set appeared first on /Film.
- 6/15/2022
- by Shae Sennett
- Slash Film
Baz Luhrmann's style of cinema is unapologetically flamboyant and produces dramatic scenes that emulate a fever dream or LSD trip. Mercutio's fabulous drag performance in "Romeo + Juliet" and every grand costume and musical number in "Moulin Rouge" are perfect examples of Luhrmann's tendency toward the epic. Throughout his career, the director hasn't shied away from putting his own spin on iconic characters like Romeo, Juliet, and Jay Gatsby, so why not add The King to that list?
Elvis Presley, who loved a good leather and rhinestone ensemble, is a perfect match for Luhrmann and his tendency toward spectacle. In...
The post It Took Baz Luhrmann And A Bottle Of Gin For Elvis' Filming To Properly Begin appeared first on /Film.
Elvis Presley, who loved a good leather and rhinestone ensemble, is a perfect match for Luhrmann and his tendency toward spectacle. In...
The post It Took Baz Luhrmann And A Bottle Of Gin For Elvis' Filming To Properly Begin appeared first on /Film.
- 6/14/2022
- by Christian Gainey
- Slash Film
From the 2010 edition of the Blacklist to Zac Efron’s schedule, Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari’s screenplay for Die in a Gunfight seemed to be getting the fast-track into theaters before seven years of development saw a revolving door of actors and directors changing. It would take almost a decade before cameras started rolling and the person sitting prettiest after the whole ordeal became Collin Schiffli. After two indie films written by frequent collaborator David Dastmalchian, he’s finally got his hands in the Hollywood pie with Lionsgate and a modestly star-studded cast of B-listers to help make his stylistic flourishes look good. And there are a lot of them. Whether or not they work to make this riff on “Romeo and Juliet” a success is beside the point.
We’re talking animated interludes. A third person narrator (Billy Crudup). Viewfinder slides. Film rewinds that either go nowhere or...
We’re talking animated interludes. A third person narrator (Billy Crudup). Viewfinder slides. Film rewinds that either go nowhere or...
- 7/14/2021
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
I’ve long been of the opinion that William Shakespeare’s work is for everyone. Whether interpreted as a community theatre production, an experimental indie film or a prestige period Oscar contender, there’s always room to bring out new details and find new experiences within the text. But R#J is a bummer of a reminder that without the proper effort and engagement from the filmmakers, even a promising concept can end up feeling lazy, cynical and clunky.
Director Carey Williams’s movie is meant to be Romeo And Juliet for the age of Instagram and video chat. Like the 2018 thriller Searching, R#J takes place in the world of phone and computer screens. We see conversations in FaceTime calls or livestreams while gaining more information through Instagram posts and searches.
Camaron Engels and Francesca Noel are fine in the title roles, but Siddiq Saunderson delivers the standout performance as Mercutio.
Director Carey Williams’s movie is meant to be Romeo And Juliet for the age of Instagram and video chat. Like the 2018 thriller Searching, R#J takes place in the world of phone and computer screens. We see conversations in FaceTime calls or livestreams while gaining more information through Instagram posts and searches.
Camaron Engels and Francesca Noel are fine in the title roles, but Siddiq Saunderson delivers the standout performance as Mercutio.
- 3/21/2021
- by Jeremy Mathews
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
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