Private Romeo (2011)

Just what I expected

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Just watched Private Romeo and I gotta say I was disappointed after all the positive comments & reviews. I understood that the story was a modern take on the Romeo & Juliet story set in a boys' military academy. For me it just didn't work. I tried to get behind the "gender blind" casting, a variation on "color blind" casting in which the audience pretends NOT to notice a the actors race and just goes with the character as written. For me this didn't work because the characters adhered so loosely to the characters as written. The story is all about how two factions are brought to grief when a member of each faction kills themselves after becoming a couple. In this version, I couldn't tell the factions apart or even if there really were any. There were no parental arranged marriages, no killing of cousins in duels, and even bigger departures from the story... but that would be telling!I'm a big fan of restaging Shakespeare in other scenarios. West Side Story and Ran are great examples where "bending the Bard" actually added new and interesting aspects to an already classic tale, but this one added nothing and detracted a LOT. I saw all of my favorite speeches of the play marred and made less by this staging. Also the production values were glaringly deficient in spots. Why stage a military drill scene without bothering to ensure uniform uniforms, and with so small a number of "cadets?"This felt much less organic throughout than that Woody Allen movie where he took an already released Japanese movie and substituted his own dialogue. The boys were pretty and there were moments where the actors managed to get my interest & empathy DESPITE the total lack of any help from the vehicle they were performing in. It may well be me. There are a number of very positive reviews of this film by critics from The NY Times and The Village Voice et. al. but after seeing this I'm if some form of payola wasn't involved...

Quite some time ago I saw the play R&J in New York on which this film is based. It was one of the most exciting evenings of theatre I have experienced. Theater to film transitions aren't always successful due to a shift in emphasis from language and suggestion to visual storytelling. Angels in America is wonderful on stage - not so much on screen. Here the concept of the play was changed just enough to satisfy the visual requirements of cinema but keeps the spirit of the play (sort of). They are different enough to stand apart, and at the same time it can be said this is one of the most successful screen versions of a play.If 75% of all people who rated this film gave it a 6 or better, and if 30% of all the people who rated this film give it a 9 or 10, how can the average rating be 5 point something?!

This was really a nice adaptation of "R&J'...Yes it took some liberties, but it was well acted and, in the end, a very sweet tale.I am not sure why it has gotten such negative reviews. No...it is not your typical "gay" movie...which is why it works. THe movie is dependent on the Shakeperean text which may have turned some off. The actors are all believable, and if not the best acting I have seen, it is much better than a lot of cheesy movies of the genre. The two leads, Seth Numrich and Matt Doyle play their angst and conflict quite well, drawing the viewer in to their plight.If you go into this film with no expectations you should enjoy it. I think if you are looking for a "gay" film or a masterful adaptation of Shakespeare you will be disappointed. Take it for what it is and enjoy it.

I recently rented this film after having discovered it entirely by accident. I admit that I am a Romeo and Juliet Junkie, but I am always open to new settings and the like. The more I delved into the film, the more attached I got to these characters. These guys were outstanding in their own way, how they played the characters, how they conveyed the poetry and making it seem completely natural. Seth Numrich and Matt Doyle perfectly conveyed the romance of Seth/Romeo and Glenn/Juliet. While some people may easily be bothered by a gay interpretation of Romeo and Juliet, I had no issues/problems with it at all. The chemistry between those two was so sweet and innocent, I could not help but be drawn into the story. For me, even if I was bothered, the poetry and the story are all that matters! Doyle in particular makes a very strong Juliet, standing up to the bullying Hale Appleman's Lord Capulet/Mercutio (also outstanding). The film is beautifully shot, with close-ups on the lover's hands as they hold and touch one another. There are plenty of other tender moments throughout. The setting is also very sparse, with the empty hallways and courtyards, like the stage is waiting for the tragedy to unfold. I won't say anything about the ending, other than I was oddly satisfied. Somehow it works. And this movie does too. I cannot wait to add it to my Shakespeare collection.