Rosaline

The last two performances by Kaitlyn Dever I've seen were in "Unbelievable" (about a teenager's rape that almost nobody seems to believe) and "Dopesick" (about a tragic opioid-fueled death), so my guess is that Miss Dever wanted to lighten things up with a fun, goofy comedy. It turns out, she's good at that too! This movie is loosely (and I do mean loosely) based on Will Shakespeare's iconic tale of the star-crossed lovers, with Dever playing Romeo's ex-girlfriend, Rosaline, whom he totally forgets about when Isabela Merced's Juliet enters the picture. With some equally fun support from Bradley Whitford, as Rosaline's dad, and Minnie Driver as her quick witted nurse, Janet, this movie moves along its predictable path with a fair amount of good humor. I am giving this an extra star because Kaitlin Dever has been (rightly) touted as a future superstar since 2013, and her relatively low-key success continues nine years later. Even in trivial films.

I really loved watching Kaitlyn's dry and physical comedy. She was so watchable and so many hilarious expressions and gestures that weren't in the script, I just enjoyed seeing how she was going to interpret each scene! And Sean (Dario) was great too, enough humility mixed into the confidence that made him likeable and his feelings believable. I really enjoyed watching this silly interpretation of the timeless earnestness of teenage love. Shakespeare's R&J was also a comedy up until people started dying, I like how this film took the comedic and relatable aspects of the story through someone that wasn't so blindly swept up in the drama. Everything I look for in a romantic comedy!

A lite affair which is loaded with sheer cuteness. The leads are adequate as actors. It's a nice twist on a old tale. The use of modern day colloquial dialog is a nice touch. Nice pacing. Flows really well. Story doesn't drag for a minute. Not a theater release worthy, so having this go straight to HULU is actually the best place to play this film. A nice premise which is managed as well as it could. Turn off your brain and enjoy. Plus Shooter McGavin is in this film. How could you possibly go wrong? 😆 😆 😆 😆.

Watch this on a nice, rainy fall day and you will be glad you did. Not a 10 out of 10 but it's worth watching.

Every kid who has to read Romeo and Juliet will enjoy this. It has everything a teenage girl needs...a spunky heroine, a very (very!) cute leading man and a Taylor Swift song over the closing credits.

Romeo bears a bit of a resemblence to the late Heath Ledger. The wonderful Bradley Whitford and Minnie Driver shine in small but pivotal roles and while the plot is predictable, there are enough small twists and turns to make it fun.

As a standalone for younger kids, it will be fine. If you introduce them to the actual story of Romeo and Juliet first, they will get more out of it. One well-deserved profanity and very little violence.

Hulu did well with this one.

Anyone ever wonder what happened to poor old Rosaline after Romeo dumped her?

In this innovative romantic comedy, for once we see the other side of the epic drama, told in a modern, accessible voice.

Rosaline is a modern woman in a time where women are still bartered and traded in marriage. She's in love with Romeo, a poet (and let's face it, a bit of a sap and a twit), but he's just as forbidden for her as he is for her cousin Juliet, who soon comes along to steal Rosaline's boyfriend's heart.

While the Shakespearean tragicomedy plays out on the sidelines of Rosaline's frustrated grief (events occurring in part because of her attempts to get Romeo back), enter Dario - a tall, dark and handsome suitor whom Rosaline's father has arranged for her to marry. While Rosaline could not be less interested, they nevertheless team up to try and undo the mess she has made.

Purists of Shakespeare will absolute hate this modern take on his most well-known play, but everyone else will love the snarky humour that creeps up on you, the excellent acting and the fun and creative storyline.

Let's face it. We're already struggling to get young people to read modern books, let alone classic plays written in old English. This is a fresh and fun way to introduce youth to the literature stylings of the bard.

The costumes, while not extravagant, are probably pretty accurate to what they wore. The movie is set in truly gorgeous scenery - most likely in Italy even. It has a modern soundtrack and the script is well-written and well-acted.

I had hoped people would be more lenient with their scoring for this movie on imdb, but since I think its overall score has short-changed the quality of the film, I give it a 10 to try and coax that average back up again because it is a far better film than people are giving it credit for.