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Irish Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Juliet & Romeo review: Never was a story more woeful
Juliet & Romeo Director : Timothy Scott Bogart Cert : 12A Starring : Jamie Ward, Clara Rugaard, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Nicholas Podany, Derek Jacobi, Martina Ortiz Luis, Rupert Graves Running Time : 2 hrs 2 mins It's a small point, but one of the more bizarre oddities – among many – in this hopeless musical variation on Shakespeare 's most kissy play is the stubborn visibility of the actors' breath, even when indoors. The original work is set in balmy Verona towards the end of July. Could someone not have bunged an auld Superser into the shooting space? Jason Isaacs , Rupert Everett and (god bless him) Derek Jacobi deserve better. Anyway, one needs something to divert oneself when sitting through two hours of dreary sub-boyband ballads sung in unending transatlantic warble. What we have here, courtesy of the brothers Timothy Scott Bogart and Evan Kidd Bogart, is the alleged opening third of a trilogy based around 'the real-life [sic] 1301 story that inspired Shakespeare's greatest tale'. Trilogy? No reader of The Irish Times will need to be told that the title characters died at the end of Shakey's version. Are they really going to spend 122 minutes on the first act and a half? Will parts two and three work as prequels? For fear of spoilers, we'll deliver the answer parenthetically at the end of the review. To be fair, the Bogarts – sons of Neil Bogart, late founder of renowned disco label Casablanca Records – are not without ambition. Juliet & Romeo makes some attempt to address Verona's complex relations with Rome in the early 14th century. There is an admirable aside about the pressures then put on the Jewish communities. READ MORE Otherwise the story, delivered in flat modern vernacular, sticks reasonably closely to the familiar text. The Danish actor Clara Rugaard is rather good as Juliet. The Australian Jamie Ward doesn't fall over as Romeo. They become entangled despite being from warring families. They flirt on balconies. 'What's a name, really?' one actually says. [ Dangerous Animals review: Jaws meets Wolf Creek in this watery Ozploitation movie Opens in new window ] The thing is unremittingly dull and bland (not to mention cold, apparently). If it is good for anything it is good for providing deserved paid holidays to venerable older actors and their long johns. Jacobi is a wonder. Not only, at 86, is he leaping around like a young thing, but, in the role of Friar Lawrence, he manages to make the dialogue sound like something other than spiritless pabulum. Whatever they paid him it was not nearly half enough. (Parenthetical spoiler: the lovers don't die at the end any longer. The friar had a plan all along.) In cinemas from Friday, June 11th
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Juliet & Romeo': Shakespeare meets pop music for Timothy Scott Bogart's film with Rebel Wilson, Jason Isaacs
In 1968 there was Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet with Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting. In 1996 we had Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes starring in Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet. And in 2025 Timothy Scott Bogart has given us the musical Juliet & Romeo (now in theatres), starring Clara Rugaard and Jamie Ward in the title roles, alongside Jason Isaacs as Lord Montague, Rupert Everett as Lord Capulet and Rebel Wilson as Lady Capulet. Set in 1301, filmmaker Timothy Scott Bogart takes on William Shakespeare's story about star-crossed lovers with the intention of being authentic to the Medieval time period, overlayed with pop music. Bogart also wanted to flesh out more underserved characters from the original story. Before Bogart stepped behind the camera he was an actor, initially making the transition by directing theatre, including Romeo and Juliet multiple times. "I have to be honest, ... there were moments in the piece, there were characters in the piece, there were arcs of the piece that never quite felt fully developed, because there's only so much you can put in the play," Bogart explained to Yahoo. "It was something that had been kind of haunting me from my own inability to feel like I could crack it on stage, and it just kept coming back." In terms of creating the pop music in Juliet & Romeo, Bogart enlisted the help of his brother, Evan Bogart, and Evan's writing partner Justin Gray. Evan famously wrote the Beyoncé song "Halo," alongside Ryan Tedder. But how pop music even came into the equation for Bogart's film started more than a decade ago. "I remember saying to my brother, why do you think iambic pentameter? What do you think that was about? And in the most simple, kind of off the cuff way he said, 'I think that was the poetry of their time,'" Bogart said. "I said, interesting. What's the poetry of our time? And he said, pop music." "Now my brother, of course, who wrote 'Halo' for Beyoncé, he's going to come from pop music, but he started going, think about your world. When you see kids, what are they doing? They've got headphones on. ... They're listening to music. That is how they are expressing themselves. So about 10 years earlier, this idea of music as a central way to really get inner voice, which ultimately is what Shakespeare did so beautifully and brilliantly, ... it kept coming back." The concept of the songs representing inner voice was core to Bogart's vision, particularly in how to integrate the music with the story. "I don't think there's any more important subject that we wrestled with on how best to do it," Bogart said. "There's the musicals where the milkman clearly knows he's in a musical and is singing, and even the cow knows it's in a musical and it is singing. And I didn't want anything to do with that, it's just not my cup of tea. I really was trying, from the very beginning, to use this as inner voice." "There's a scene in the movie [where] Romeo and Juliet meet in the church, and suddenly they have this wonderful song. Well I don't really think they're singing in the church. I think they're they're two young people getting to know each other in the church, but it feels like they're singing about their love. ... I believe this kind of age demographic lives in a musical world. So throughout the movie we kept finding locations and places where songs would organically be occurring. ... Their Saturday night with your pals and that's what you would be doing." But of course, Bogart had to face the task of finding his Rome and Juliet, coming after a long line of actors who have played the roles in a variety of different on-screen adaptations. "Finding Romeo and Juliet, perhaps one of the hardest things you could ever do," he said. "You start going, well OK Leonardo DiCaprio. We know what that is. You know what Claire Danes is. ... You got Tom Holland doing his version, Rachel Zegler during hers." "I wanted our Romeo and Juliet to feel like fresh faces that would bring us into this new world. And so it was finding authenticity of people that just felt so real and so human, great voices, which thankfully, Clara and Jamie absolutely have." Adding to that was Bogart commitment to research and really crafting a story that was true to what was happening at the end of Medieval times into the Renaissance, and with that came Bogart's desire to actually make this Juliet & Romeo story into a trilogy. The opportunity to look at things like royal families fighting against Pope Boniface VIII, largely recognized among the worst Popes in history. "If Star Wars was the first, then Empire Strikes Back, and that's not terribly dissimilar to what we're trying," Bogart said. "The origin of the franchise really was birthed from my exploration of the real life story." "It really is a much bigger story about really the exciting characters of that time at perhaps the most transformative moment of that time."
Geek Vibes Nation
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
'Juliet & Romeo' Review: If It Only Wasn't A Cheap Looking Musical…
Breathing life into the most tragic love story of all, the one between Romeo and Juliet, has never been easy. Many tried to do what Baz Luhrmann magnificently did in 1996, but only a few prevailed. Whether it's casting the most prominent names of the industry (Tom Holland as Romeo in Jamie Lloyds' recent theatre adaptation), turning it into a full-blown musical (the successful Broadway and West End show & Juliet ) or giving a minor character a lead role (Karen Maine 2022's Rosaline ), each director has tried to give their spin to the classic Shakespeare story. Timothy Scott Bogart is the latest on that list, as his Juliet & Romeo is now hitting the big screen. While there are a few wonderful twists and a delightful Clara Rugaard ( Love Gets a Room , Black Mirror ) as the titular female protagonist, this musical has too much glitter and autotuning to be convincing. While Bogart is doing everything he can to give his unique spin to the decades-old tale – in this case, it means creating a modern-looking musical – it's precisely that musical take that decreases this feature's enjoyment and emotional impact. The emotional poignancy, the fiery clash between the Montagues and Capulets, and the life-or-death aspect don't come through because of the too-polished music numbers. Every time someone bursts into song – which is much more than necessary – the film turns into a big pop music video. Glitz, glamour, lip-syncing, and autotuning are present in bucketloads, but there is no emotional impact or in-depth meaning. The most frustrating part of those over-the-top songs isn't the fact that they look out of place, but it's the fact that they diminish Rugaard's fantastic lead performance. We meet her Juliet when she returns home from boarding school. Home for her is the early 14th Century Verona. The city is riddled with rivalry and heated fights despite a peace treaty between her parents (Rupert Everett and Rebel Wilson) and Lord Montague (Jason Isaacs). Verona and this movie could benefit from more light and love, and that's precisely what Rugaard's Juliet brings to this feature. Clara Rugaard as Juliet in 'Juliet & Romeo' courtesy of Briarcliff Entertainment This headstrong woman – you better forget about the fact that Juliet was 13 when she met Romeo – wants to create her future, no matter what her parents have planned for her. With the right amount of determination and grace, and later on in this feature, butterflies in her stomach, Rugaard's take feels fresh, appealing, and warm. It's only fair that her character is the first one in the title. Whether or not the suave and slight bad-boy Romeo ( His Dark Materials Jamie Ward) will sweep you off your feet as he does with Juliet depends on whether or not boy band singers are what your heart desires. Despite giving his best shot in trying to deliver a performance that oozes the same amount of love, tenderness, lust for life and insubordination, Ward's Romeo feels much more like a singer auditioning to join the latest pop sensation. While his performance would perfectly fit in & Juliet – as the Montagues form a boy band mid-play – in this feature, it's more a distraction than anything else. Ward might not have been able to elevate his character to something new, but the supporting cast certainly could. Wilson's Lady Capulet is much more multilayered than you would think, as she's not only the devoted wife/mother but also a woman trying to navigate a male-dominated world. Many women, including herself, are unhappy with their role in society, but no matter how much they raise their voices, nothing is done about it. Despite not having much screen time, Wilson ( The Hustle , Jojo Rabbit ) can add the necessary energy and emotions. As her on-screen husband, Isaacs ( Spinning Gold , The Death of Stalin ) delivers the same intensity, sincerity and honesty. Rebel Wilson as Lady Capulet in 'Juliet & Romeo' courtesy of Briarcliff Entertainment At the same time, the humour is undoubtedly provided by Dan Fogler ( Eric , Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore ). His pseudo-rap song might not work, but at least his acting is a wonderful addition to the film. While the musical numbers and the much more contemporary-sounding dialogue take away the gravitas of Shakespeare's writing, Derek Jacobi ( The Tenth Man , Adam Resurrected ) his vigorous Friar Lawrence gives this gimmick take on the original literary work some authenticity. While we always applaud giving a creative and personal spin to a story done many times, Bogart strays just a little too far from the original central story. The dialogue feels too modernized and the bright and unflattering lighting makes this feature look like a cheap B-movie. Luckily, Rugaard and Jacobi save the day with dramatic and convincing performances. Juliet & Romeo is out now in cinemas courtesy of Briarcliff Entertainment
Geek Tyrant
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Trailer for JULIET & ROMEO a Musical Based on Shakespeare's Iconic Story — GeekTyrant
Icon Film has released a trailer for Juliet & Romeo , another film adaptation of William Shakespeare's iconic story, and this one is a pop musical. Set at the end of the Medieval era, ' Juliet & Romeo reimagines the world's most famous star-crossed lovers (Clara Rugaard and Jamie Ward ), uncovering the true history behind Shakespeare's story and its impact on the future of the Empire. 'But the biggest twist? This timeless tale trades traditional verse for original new pop music, bringing its powerful themes to life in a fresh, unexpected and deeply moving way. 'Fall in love with Shakespeare's iconic tale all over again, with brand-new, visionary movie-musical, Juliet & Romeo . In an epic journey of battles and betrayal, set amidst the birth of the Italian Renaissance and the wars that would end the Middle Ages, prepare for the world's most famous lovers to turn the tides on history as we know it. 'Leaving the poetry of iambic pentameter in the past, and packed with original songs and music from GRAMMY-Winner, Evan Kidd Bogart (Beyonce's 'Halo' / Rihanna's 'SOS'), this innovative twist on the theatrical classic features an incredible cast including Rebel Wilson, Rupert Everett, Jason Isaacs, Rupert Graves, Tony Award-winner, Dan Fogler, and Derek Jacobi.' The movie is directed by Timothy Scott Bogart, and it will be released in theaters on May 9th, 2025. I'm not impressed, but maybe some of you will like what you see.
