Okay, confession time. I have never liked Romeo and Juliet. Mostly because Romeo, far from being the romantic ideal, is kind of a dick. He starts the play going on and on about how much he loves Rosaline and how he can’t live without her. And then one look at Juliet and he does a complete 180, dropping the supposed love of his life like a sack of potatoes. Some people might find that romantic, arguing that his love for Rosaline was just infatuation while Juliet was his true love. But I mostly see it as proof of his weak mindedness. Definitely not a character that I will be rooting for.
All of this is to say that I couldn’t wait to see the movie Rosaline. The character who is never seen in Shakespeare’s play is now the main character, and I love it. I also love the fact that this movie technically takes place in 15th century Verona, but the characters all talk like it’s present day. There’s something very A Knight’s Tale about it, and I LOVE A Knight’s Tale.
Overall, Rosaline was one hell of a fun movie. It was hilarious, the cast was spot on, and it was delightfully meta in pointing out some of the more ridiculous aspects of Shakespeare’s play. Personally, I would have preferred a movie where both Rosaline and Juliet realize what a limp rag Romeo is and they sail off into the sunset together. But the ending we got was equally good. I definitely recommend this film to anyone who is and isn’t a fan of the original play.
Suggestions for artists I should check out? Please contact me with your ideas. I hope you enjoyed your daily helping of art!
