Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, a pair of star-crossed lovers take their life; Do with their death, bury their parents' strife.
For hundreds of years, one of the world's best-loved romantic stories starts with these words. I have seen many retellings of this classic tale, some with Sharks and Jets, some with police choppers and TV anchorwomen, and even a NY stage version where both the leads were both boys, but never one where the lovers lived, until now.
For those that have never seen Romeo and Juliet, Ronnie and Julie may be a fair to middling romance but for anyone familiar with the story, the survival of this pair somehow robs the story of its power.
If you have never seen another version of this story, by all means checks out this film, THEN see one of the more faithful versions. (I prefer Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 Romeo and Juliet) If you see another first, this film will lose most of its appeal.
