Romeo and Juliet Retelling

Shakespeare's Play: Romeo and Juliet, 1594 (near the beginning of Shakespeare's career)

Definitive versions: Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet (1968); Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet (1996); The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare did a version, but nobody ever watches it.

Retelling: Gnomeo & Juliet (2011)

KATE SAYS so how totally adorable is this movie?! The thing that I love most about it is how much the writers know and value their Shakespeare. This isn't an "oh-we-saw-West-Side-Story-so-we-know-the-plot" R & amp;J. The Gnomeo & Juliet writers went back to the text--all the text!

There are constant cute references to Shakespeare plays (not to mention Shakespeare himself!). My favorite: "Out, out." "Damn Spot!"

Speaking of Shakespeare--how perfect is Patrick Stewart in that role?!

The movie follows the play quite closely (except for the end--get there in just a moment). It captures the major players, from the (frog) nurse to Tybalt. And the theme is perfectly worked out--in fact, in some ways, the idea of reconciling feuds makes a lot more sense with neighboring gardens than with Italian factions; I doubt Shakespeare fully understood what the Italian factions were fighting over (since the history of medieval Italian factions is harder to parse out than the various elf clans in Tolkien's Silmarillion, Shakespeare's "uh, they're Italian, they're feuding, whatever" attitude is understandable).

But gnomes/neighbors battling over the best garden totally makes sense.

The ending is a little weak--not the Terrafirminator, which is hilarious but the very, very end. Basically, at the last minute, the play becomes a comedy instead of a tragedy. I would have liked the comedy swerve to be more choice than luck.

The difference I absolutely love: the characterizations of Romeo and Juliet. I grew up on the Zeffirelli version--that's the version I watched in high school. What I remember--other than the naked butt scene--is how limp the main characters were, and I've frankly never seen a version where they weren't limp. Even DiCaprio and Danes, who pulled off the angsty limpness better than most, were . . . limp.

I love how brash and funny and mischievous Gnomeo and his Juliet are. I love how an animated version of a garden gnome with a faint white beard can look like a cocky young man. I love Juliet's wry little grin. McAvoy and Blunt as the voices are perfect!

I don't remember this movie making a big splash in the theaters (but then, without regular television, I'm appallingly unaware of a lot of stuff), but the DVD is well-worth renting. Several times.

MIKE SAYS a consequence of both being a parent and working with children is that I get to see A LOT of kid movies.  As fun as that sounds, in the world of movies like Chipmunks, Yogi, and The Smurfs, this particular "perk" is usually something I have to endure (with gritted teeth).  Every once in awhile, however, I'm treated to an enjoyable film.  Luckily, Gnomeo & Juliet was such a surprise, especially since I expected to hate it.

What I expected to be a shallow, silly, and tasteless cash grab of a movie turned out to be a wonderfully enjoyable and clever adaptation.  From the dead-on sound track to the wickedly sharp sense of humor and numerous pop culture references, G&J turned out to be just as much fun for me as it was for the kids I saw it with, and from what I saw, the same was true of many of the adults in the theater.

The great thing about the film is just how true it is to itself and the play.  While it's a ridiculously accurate adaptation, the film has a personality all it's own.  The plot and setting never feel forced, and the meta-humor hits a level rarely seen outside of a comic shop. (For the non-geek, "meta" is something that is about itself; for example, the film Scream is a scary movie ABOUT scary movies and people's reaction to them).

The film is also yet another sign of how much British humor and talent (such as the amazing Michael Caine) are really permeating American media. In fact, one almost wonders if the film were originally intended for a British audience.  G&J never takes its audience or source material for granted, however, and tries to make the same old stuff feel new and worth watching.  For the most part, it succeeds. 

While I know I already mentioned it, I LOVE the soundtrack for the movie.  It's fun, and spot on. Elton John does a great job of making his songs work for the plot. The music and visual style of some of the montages really reveal the age of the film makers, which in this case is actually a coded message to parents watching the film: "Don't worry folks, we've been there with our own kids.  This is for you."

As a parent tired of the current movie trends, I was flattered, grateful and, for once, entertained.