The modern Romeo and Juliet movie shows Shakespere’s famous play like it is

present-day. However, the dialogue of the movie uses the script from the original play. The
movie is based in a city with tall skyscrapers, restaurants, and cars, the characters wear modern
clothing, and instead of swords used in the original play, they use guns. Romeo and Juliet are a
part of rival families and their love would be forbidden. After meeting each other at Juliet’s
family party, in which Romeo snuck into, they instantly fell in love. Their love was playful,
curious, and impulsive at first, as they stated that they wanted to get married , but throughout the
movie their love matures because of their ulterior motives. The seven types of Greek love
explain what type of love is evident between two individuals and the five love languages
describe how love is expressed. Six of the seven types of Greek love are present in the film
which are eros, philia, storge, ludus, pragma, and philautia. Additionally, there are three of the
five love languages: words of affirmation, quality time, and physical touch.

In the film, Greek love can be seen in many different scenes. Eros, or sexual and
passionate love, is shown when they first meet each other at the party and they begin lusting over
one another. After Romeo and Juliet meet, Juliet is quickly taken away by her nanny because her
mother wanted her to meet another man. Romeo runs after her as she keeps looking back until
they come together in the elevator and start kissing. Other examples of eros in the movie was the
love scene in the pool and when they sleep together. Philia, or friendship love, is evident between
Juliet and her nanny and Romeo and his friend Mercutio. Juliet’s nanny takes care of her and
Juliet would tell her things that she would not even tell her mother. Her nanny seemed to be
always on her side and even helped them get married, whereas Romeo and Mercutio’s
relationship was a bit more complicated. The two loved getting into trouble and doing wild
things, however, when Romeo began to fall for Juliet, he would leave Mercutio to see her.
Mercutio ends up getting shot by Tybalt and curses both Romeo and Juliet’s family. However, in
the beginning of the film when Romeo is heartbroken over his first love, Rosaline, Mercutio tries
to cheer him up by crashing the Capulet party. His loyalty is shown when he fights Tybalt for
Romeo did not want to after being insulted. Storge, known as familial love, is seen in the Capulet
and Montagues. Although they are rivals, both families have the common trait of bringing their
family to the top no matter how hard they have to fight. Additionally, during the fight of Romeo
and Tybalt, when Romeo shoots and kills him, Juliet mourns the death of her cousin. Ludus, or
playful love, is seen most prominently in the beginning of the movie. As Romeo and Juliet fall in
love at first sight, they lust over each, and kiss the first time they meet. That night, they also
make love in the pool and agree that they want to get married. Love clouds their judgment, like
most teenagers. Without knowing much about each other, except the families they are a part of,
they want to spend the rest of their life together. Pragma, known as practical love, is
demonstrated towards the end of the film. After Romeo and Juliet get married, Juliet’s mother set
up an arranged marriage with Paris. This is when Juliet takes the poison so she could fake her
death and flee with Romeo. The marriage was based on Romeo who fell in love with Juliet’s
beauty and Juliet not wanting an arranged marriage. Lastly, philautia, or self-love, is seen within
Juliet's mother who is obsessed with her looks and seems to care more about her happiness than
Juliet’s.

It is clear that there are several types of love languages, the first being words of
affirmation. This can be seen when Romeo talks of both Rosaline and Juliet. In the beginning of
the movie, Romeo is heartbroken over Rosaline who did not want to be with him, although he
compliments her beauty. When his friend Mercutio wants him to crash the Capulet’s party to help
him feel better, he falls in love with Juliet and her looks. Romeo and Juliet also spent quality
time together when they were in the pool late at night and when they slept with each other. When
spending the night at Juliet’s place, they were able to learn a little bit more about each other and
have more intimacy. This falls into the love language of physical touch. Some examples of this
love language are in the following scenes: the elevator, pool, Juliet’s bed, and at their wedding.
In the elevator, Romeo and Juliet make love for the first time and even before that they were
holding hands with each other as Juliet was getting pulled by her nanny to meet her mother and
Paris. In the pool, this scene was much more intimate as well as when they were sleeping with
each other. At their wedding, they also kiss.

This modern Romeo and Juliet film has helped today’s world better understand the
original play. Although at times the dialogue seemed confusing, the way it was acted out showed
the plot of the play so it could be comprehended better. Several of the Greek types of love and
love languages were present and demonstrate the love between the characters. Romeo and Juliet
were young and in love but had ulterior motives. When they decided the get married it was very
immature and impulsive but somewhat showed how they were committed to spending the rest of
their lives together. Romeo was marrying her for her beauty while Juliet did not want to marry
Paris. Their love was sexual and passionate, eros, at the beginning of the movie, much like how
teenagers are in love today, and quite playful. Over time their love develops to pragma, for they
know that their marriage can potentially help their families stop the feud, Romeo would marry a
beautiful woman, and Juliet would not have to marry Paris. We can tell by the personalities of the
characters and what their love languages are. This film was a decent interpretation of a play
made over 400 years ago and quite creative.