Shakespeare Meets Instagram: R#J Debuts at Sundance
Image from the Sundance Institute
Most of us know the tale of ‘Romeo and Juliet’, but just in case you are not familiar with the classic Shakespeare play, be warned; this article will contain spoilers.
“Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes.
A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life;”
And so they do . . . over Instagram Live.
Carey William’s 2021 take on the classic Shakespeare tale of star-crossed lovers, is a reimagined, contemporary portrayal which remains true to its source. The film envelops viewers into a form of storytelling that is quite unconventional for film, but familiar for the avid social media user. Told entirely through the respective phones of Romeo and Juliet, we are transported into the personal social media accounts and messages of these two star-crossed lovers, to glimpse an intimate point of view of these titular characters.
Williams does not shy away from the classic Shakespearean sonnets, nor does he remove the Shakespearean old English and replace it with modern slang. Instead, he uses social media aesthetics and features, to characterize classic characters like Romeo and Juliet, as well as other significant characters such as Benvolio and Mercutio. Despite the integration of technology and the internet, the film does not abandon its source, instead skillfully utilizing the iconic play, and reshaping it with a modern version of its characters.
The film is self-aware of its perspective. The narrative’s portrayal through the eye of an iPhone camera lens, allows for the use of characteristics and aesthetics of an iPhone, which Williams’ uses to his advantage. Notably, this includes the typing sound, the little bubbles that appear when one is typing - that almost always gives one a bit of anxiety - and of course, the centered shots, (where we know, if it's right in front of us, then it's important). The film only breaks from this format when the moment belongs solely to Romeo and Juliet; no cameras, no social media, and no audience. Perhaps this offers a comment on the boundaries between the things and experiences which we share, and when we choose to share them with an audience.
Juliet is an artist who has both an art account and a personal account. Romeo uses FaceTime to communicate with the other characters, in particular to DM Rosalie in an attempt to win her heart. But most importantly, social media is used as the perfect escape for both lovers to meet in secret. Completely getting rid of the Nurse, social media and its gadgets become the main source of communication for the characters - especially when the lovers are apart. The Montagues and Capulets are public figures, due to their highly esteemed families, and thus there is bound to be public opinion involved. When fights are streamed on Facebook Live and Instagram, and the police make an appearance, Williams is consciously using modern-day events and cultural discourse as part of the classic narrative, and in doing so he invites the audience to question the true effects of social media platforms, and the way they have infiltrated our lives.
Something that you initially think is going to be annoying after the twenty-minute mark, becomes instantly intriguing. You want to know how and where the next scene is going to be shown. The viewer becomes an intruder to the lovers’ lives, making you feel like you are intimately looking through their phones. William knows who his audience is, and has a clear vision of what Romeo and Juliet’s world would look like if the grudge between Capulets and Montagues was online, and witnessed by a mass audience. It comes as no surprise when Romeo finds Juliet on social media and hits her up. It is perhaps Romeo and Juliet's lack of extensive research into each other and their last names, (in other words, the lack of light stalking), that make the story hard to believe. However, Williams sets the stage with a realistic timeline, which makes us forget the extravagant set of days in which the original play takes place.
R#J takes creative liberties with this classic story to show something fresh that is simultaneously intriguing and worthy of analysis. Adding itself to the long list of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ adaptations, this one certainly stands out. Whether the audience loves it or hates it, the film’s form and aesthetics are eye-catching, and it certainly doesn’t take away from the poetic nature of the Shakespearean play. Instead, R#J breathes life into these timeless characters and gives them a distinct contemporary relevance.
Alongside an impeccable cast who captures the nature of these beloved characters, the film’s social media form also enhances the characterization, especially of Juliet, whom we know very little of in the original play. Her social media accounts give her character a strong personality, and an identity outside of the tragedy that surrounds her story with Romeo. We know what she is feeling before and after meeting Romeo. Her life ceases to be solely about Romeo, and instead, he becomes an escape to her current life, that adds to some of her hopes and dreams. While not a perfect reinvention of Juliet, Williams reveals more complex layers of her character. She is shown to be a lover of art, but also a family-oriented individual who grieves for her mother, and who uses art as a form of expression and escapism from the tactics of her cousin and of course, her father, whom she has a strained relationship with.
Romeo, on the other hand, is still very much characterized as a lover boy who perhaps falls in love a little too easily. Yet he is also portrayed as someone who is willing to break the rules set by the historic family feud between Capulets and Montagues, in order to be with Juliet. What stands out the most between both lovers is their desire and willingness to separate themselves from the divisive hatred between both families, further illuminating the tragic circumstances of brutal rivalry from the original play.
Overall, R#J is a compelling and daring take on the classic Shakespeare play. Carey Williams brings a film that offers a new and refreshing spin on the story, whereby you think you know how it’s going to end, and then he surprises you - thanks to the Instagram and social media form. After an interesting debut at Sundance, hopefully this film will reach a wider audience. Do we need any more adaptations and remakes of Romeo and Juliet? Perhaps not, but this film shows the importance of amplifying diverse voices and cinema, and offers new, dynamic perspectives to old classic discourse of the tragedy of these two star-crossed lovers.