---
title: "Romeo + Juliet"
year: 1996
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/romeo-juliet"
fi1m_id: "romeo-juliet"
imdb_id: "tt0117509"
tmdb_id: 454
wikidata_id: "Q463313"
fi1m_score: 82
critics_score: 79
critics_reviews: 6
published: "2026-09-13"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:19.170099+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Romeo + Juliet (1996)

Directed by Baz Luhrmann · 2h 00m · MPA PG-13 · Drama, Romance

## Identity

Romeo + Juliet

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/romeo-juliet
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** romeo-juliet
- **IMDb ID:** tt0117509
- **TMDB ID:** 454
- **Wikidata ID:** Q463313
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117509/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/454, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q463313

**Fi1m score: 82** · Critics 79 from 6 reviews

*In a sentence:* Shakespeare gets guns and pop music, but two people looking through a fish tank are quite enough

> Baz Luhrmann’s *Romeo + Juliet* is a moving romance with a noisy habit of interrupting itself. Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes make the modern setting and Shakespeare’s words belong together, even when the editing gives them too little room.

## Synopsis

Romeo (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Juliet (Claire Danes) fall in love in Verona Beach, where their families’ feud feeds a culture of public violence. Baz Luhrmann relocates Shakespeare’s play to a modern city of guns, cars and corporate wealth, while retaining its original dialogue. The lovers try to pursue a relationship that puts them at odds with the people around them. Harold Perrineau plays Mercutio, John Leguizamo plays Tybalt, and Miriam Margolyes plays the Nurse. Pete Postlethwaite is Father Laurence in a setting where raves and party drugs sit alongside the old quarrels.

## Review

Baz Luhrmann’s *Romeo + Juliet* works because its lovers are worth attending to, however hard their surroundings compete. We recommend it, with a warning about the noise. Luhrmann and fellow screenwriter Craig Pearce retain Shakespeare’s dialogue and put it into a modern Verona Beach of guns, cars and corporate power. The purpose is clear enough: make the danger and impatience of the story immediate, without asking the actors to speak as though they are explaining an old book. The trouble is that Luhrmann sometimes seems anxious that a moment allowed to pass quietly might be a moment wasted.

Leonardo DiCaprio gives Romeo the earnestness that this treatment needs. His vulnerability prevents the surrounding display from becoming the whole film, and we believe his urgency even where his handling of the verse is uneven. Claire Danes is still more persuasive as Juliet, making the language sound like something she has just thought of saying rather than prepared for an examination. Their attraction is easy to believe because neither performance looks satisfied with merely being young and beautiful.

The fish tank scene is where we stopped bracing ourselves for the next flourish. We were moved by the simple pleasure these two take in looking at each other through the glass. Donald McAlpine’s cinematography gives their faces enough attention for that feeling to register, and the surrounding visual business recedes. The scene lets DiCaprio and Danes establish the attraction that the rest of the film asks us to believe.

Catherine Martin’s production design makes the corporate wealth around the lovers conspicuous, so the feud belongs to people whose influence extends beyond their own homes. Kym Barrett’s costumes are equally assertive, helping us read the personalities before we have caught every word. This is one advantage of Luhrmann’s approach to adaptation: information can arrive through clothes and buildings while the dialogue gets on with something else. The sets and costumes give the old hostilities a plausible modern setting.

Jill Bilcock’s editing is the more persistent difficulty. The rapid changes give the confrontations an excitable rhythm, but they also compete with dialogue that already asks for concentration. We sometimes wanted a line to finish settling before the film found something else to show us. Craig Armstrong, Nellee Hooper and Marius de Vries share the music credits, and the pop-heavy soundtrack suits the young characters’ emotional impatience. It is effective, although the music and cutting together can press an emotion harder than the actors need.

Not everyone finds the same ease with the words. Pete Postlethwaite, as Father Laurence, makes their meaning clear without appearing to pause the film for instruction, and his precision exposes some of the hurried delivery elsewhere. DiCaprio can communicate a feeling more convincingly than the full thought inside a speech. That matters in an adaptation which has chosen to preserve the language, though the chemistry between him and Danes carries us through the awkwardness.

There is no need to know the play before watching, although familiarity will help when the cutting gets impatient. We would choose this for an evening when a romance is wanted and solemnity is not. The lovers are persuasive enough to reward the attention the film’s speed demands. Give them that attention, even when Luhrmann seems determined to distract us.

*Fi1m score 82, published 13 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics respond warmly to Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet, praising the energy and visual invention of an adaptation that keeps Shakespeare’s dialogue while giving the lovers a modern setting. Praise clusters around the sets, costumes and compositions, and around Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes, whose chemistry and vulnerability give the spectacle emotional weight. The favourable reviews see the pop music, rapid editing and irreverence as ways of making the play accessible without losing its passions.

The spread is wide, however, with the same stylistic choices prompting enthusiasm, qualified admiration and outright rejection. Variety finds that posturing too often substitutes for storytelling, though it praises Danes’ spontaneity. Collider questions the young actors’ handling of the language and the MTV-style editing, while The Ringer rejects the film as a poorly paced mess with nostalgic appeal. The central disagreement is how much the frantic presentation helps the love story, and how often it gets in its way.

## Straight answers

**Is Romeo + Juliet worth watching?**

*Romeo + Juliet* is worth watching for anyone who wants a romance with pace and volume rather than reverence, and we scored it 82. Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes make Shakespeare's words sound like their own, even when Jill Bilcock's cutting gives a line too little time to settle. You do not need to know the play, though it helps when the film hurries.

**How long is Romeo + Juliet, and what is it rated?**

*Romeo + Juliet* runs 2h 00m and is rated PG-13 by the MPA in the US. It is a drama and romance film.

**Where can I watch Romeo + Juliet in the US?**

*Romeo + Juliet* is streaming on Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from $3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**What should I watch after Romeo + Juliet?**

After *Romeo + Juliet*, try [*West Side Story*](https://film.one/film/west-side-story) (1961, Fi1m 80): A musical romance where youthful attraction runs straight into communal hatred. Then [*The Umbrellas of Cherbourg*](https://film.one/film/the-umbrellas-of-cherbourg) (1964, Fi1m 88): For young love treated seriously, with colour and music doing essential work; and [*Strictly Ballroom*](https://film.one/film/strictly-ballroom) (1992, Fi1m 83): Luhrmann’s taste for spectacle meets young romance on a more manageable scale.

### Reviews we read (13)

- **The Times**, Kevin Maher (★★★★★): The critic argues that Luhrmann’s frenetic adaptation is not a mess but one of the greatest Shakespeare movies, praising the crackling chemistry between DiCaprio and Danes. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/romeo-and-juliet-film-review-baz-luhrmann-nt9w3v00c)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (90/100, inferred): The critic calls Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 film a terrific success that remains a sunburst of energy and instinctively respectful to Shakespeare’s story. They single out the irreverent yet grounded approach and the performances, especially Leonardo DiCaprio’s Romeo. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/mar/26/william-shakespeares-romeo-juliet-review-baz-luhrmann-leonardo-dicaprio-claire-danes)
- **Time Out**, GA (85/100, inferred): Baz Luhrmann’s gleefully cinematic version of the play is relentlessly inventive and innovative. It sticks with the original dialogue while making the adaptation visual through striking sets, costumes, and compositions that evoke wealth, poverty, love, hate and other forces in a post-punk, multi-ethnic Verona; DiCaprio and Danes steal the honours as the vulnerable, impassioned leads. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/william-shakespeares-romeo-juliet-1996)
- **Radio Times**, Andrew Collins (4/5): Baz Luhrmann's flamboyantly hip, achingly modern and unashamedly teen-targeted update transplants the lovers to MTV-era Verona Beach with gang warfare, raves and party drugs while keeping the dialogue true to the text. A bold, infectious and courageous Shakespeare adaptation that made DiCaprio a teen pin-up and minted Luhrmann as a master showman. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-hsxxn2/william-shakespeares-romeo-juliet/)
- **Empire**, Bob McCabe: The critic praises Luhrmann's bold, inventive update of Shakespeare to a modern setting with guns and corporations, highlighting the strong performances by DiCaprio and Danes and the accessible, visual storytelling. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/william-shakespeare-romeo-juliet-review/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan: The critic finds the brash, excessive film loud and exuberant with positive energy that makes it irresistible despite its flaws. It singles out Claire Danes' fresh and natural performance as Juliet for particular praise. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-11-01-ca-59839-story.html)
- **Slant Magazine**: The critic hails the film as Luhrmann’s true masterpiece and a quintessential marker of a generation that mixes MTV-style editing and pop music with Shakespeare’s language to reach new audiences. The preserved dialogue and visual updating of the story’s subtext are singled out as effective. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/william-shakespeares-romeo-juliet/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Hunter: The critic calls it a clever and well-executed reworking of the tragedy that captures the passionate emotions of youth through a modern setting. DiCaprio and Danes are singled out as superb leads who handle the Elizabethan dialogue convincingly amid the guns-and-cars world. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/romeo-juliet-review-movie-1996-1248607/)
- **The New York Times**, Janet Maslin: The critic views Luhrmann's frenetic adaptation as a witty, uneven experiment in reinventing Shakespeare through post-modern kitsch and pop iconography. It praises the bold stylistic choices but notes the results are headache-inducing and mixed in success. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1996/11/01/movies/soft-what-light-it-s-flash-romeo.html)
- **Total Film**: The review lauds the film's radical, visual reinvention of the play in a Mexican corporate setting with modern elements, calling it a rich, rude, violent ride that makes Shakespeare accessible, though noting some sacrifices in the language delivery. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/william-shakespeares-romeo-and-juliet-review/)
- **Variety**, Variety Staff: The review describes the film as aggressively modern and trendy but flawed, striking yet silly, with stylistic attitudinizing often substituting for traditional storytelling strengths. It highlights Claire Danes' youthful purity and spontaneity as the standout element amid the cacophony. [Read](https://variety.com/1996/film/reviews/william-shakespeare-s-romeo-juliet-1200447070/)
- **Collider**, Adam Chitwood (65/100, inferred): The critic finds the film entertaining as a modern adaptation exercise despite issues with young actors delivering Shakespearean dialogue and MTV-style editing. Pete Postlethwaite's precise performance as Friar Laurence is singled out for praise as elevating the film. [Read](https://collider.com/romeo-and-juliet-review-blu-ray/)
- **The Ringer**, Allison P. Davis (35/100, inferred): The critic concludes the film is not good and a mess with questionable acting and pacing issues, though it holds nostalgic appeal. Young Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes, along with the fish tank scene, are singled out as highlights. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2016/11/01/movies/baz-luhrmann-romeo-juliet-20th-anniversary-4c9f63053447)

## Details

- **Director:** Baz Luhrmann
- **Director:** Baz Luhrmann
- **Screenplay:** Baz Luhrmann, Craig Pearce
- **Cinematography:** Donald McAlpine
- **Editor:** Jill Bilcock
- **Music:** Nellee Hooper, Craig Armstrong, Marius de Vries
- **Production design:** Catherine Martin
- **Costume design:** Kym Barrett
- **Producer:** Baz Luhrmann, Gabriella Martinelli
- **Cast:** Leonardo DiCaprio as Romeo; Claire Danes as Juliet; Jesse Bradford as Balthasar; Vondie Curtis-Hall as Captain Prince; Brian Dennehy as Ted Montague; John Leguizamo as Tybalt; Miriam Margolyes as Nurse; Harold Perrineau as Mercutio
- **Runtime:** 2h 00m
- **Certificate (MPA):** PG-13
- **Release (the US):** 1 November 1996
- **Genres:** Drama, Romance
- **Budget:** $14 million
- **Box office:** $147 million

## Where to watch in the US

- Amazon Prime Video: add-on
- Disney+: add-on, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $4.99, hd

*Checked 2026-09-13.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 1997: Best Production Design (nominated)
- European Film Award for Best Non-European Film 1997: European Film Award for Best Non-European Film (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *West Side Story* (1961), Fi1m 80: A musical romance where youthful attraction runs straight into communal hatred. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/west-side-story.md)
- *The Umbrellas of Cherbourg* (1964), Fi1m 88: For young love treated seriously, with colour and music doing essential work. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-umbrellas-of-cherbourg.md)
- *Strictly Ballroom* (1992), Fi1m 83: Luhrmann’s taste for spectacle meets young romance on a more manageable scale. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/strictly-ballroom.md)
- *Devdas* (2002): A more expansive romance whose ornate surroundings cannot make love straightforward.
- *Cold War* (2018), Fi1m 85: For another couple whose attraction has to contend with a hostile society. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/cold-war.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/romeo-juliet