I have no idea why this movie isn’t considered a classic. It is one of the most stylistically interesting and entertaining movies I have seen a while - and I’m not just talking about Shakespeare adaptations here, I mean literally out of all movies.
It oozes phrenetic energy, swagger and sheer style in every single frame. The costumes, the sets, the lighting, the editing - you feel like watching an explosion of overconfident late 90s aura that’s injected directly into your eyeballs.
And the acting? I’m just gonna say every single actor knew exactly what kind of film they were in and they deliver appropriately scene chewing performances. With young Leo dicaprio at the height of his twink fame, as well as Claire Danes as Juliet (who we all know has insane chops from her TV outings) - their chemistry is just fantastic. Everyone else in this movie is fantastic too (shout out to Mercurio).
Like this movie might have been seen as over the top when it first came out, but I’m not gonna lie it aged like a fine wine. I feel like it is probably more in tune with pop culture nowadays than it was even in the 90s (I literally wanna wear every single outfit from this movie).
Not to say it’s all just bombastic silliness - some scenes, like the balcony scene, feel genuinely sweet, and oddly ethereal. This movie has such a unique vibe (I honestly feel that euphoria was kinda inspired by it in terms of the atmosphere it manages to create).