Name: Rosaline
Director: Karen Maine
Released: 2022-10-14T12:30:00

Rosaline is a romantic comedy based on the story of Romeo and Juliet. The movie re-tells the story from the perspective of Romeo’s titular ex.

Story

Romeo leaves Rosaline for her cousin, Juliet. She tries to manipulate Juliet to win Romeo back. However, Juliet finds out her secret and asks her to stay away.

Rosaline realises her mistake and sends an apology letter to Juliet. Her letter is received by Juliet’s brother who attacks Romeo after knowing about his affair. The news of their affair spreads across town and the couple is separated.

Rosaline tries to fix her mistake with the help of Dario. She helps the couple fake their death and escape the country.

Performances

Kaitlyn Dever’s performance lightens the movie and adds flavour to the character of Rosaline. Her incredible delivery improves the overall humour of the movie. The relatable character of Rosaline represents the modern audience of the play.

Kyle Allen and Isabela Merced play Romeo and Juliet. While their characters do not differ much from the source, the performance by the actors perfectly portrays how these characters would react if things were a little different.

Sean Teale plays the charming character of Dario, the companion of Rosaline in witty banters and her mission to help Romeo and Juliet escape. His performance adds intensity to his romance with Rosaline.

Positives

The movie gives a fresh twist to the tale of Romeo and Juliet with the use of modern morality and sensibility. The movie adopts a constant tone of ridicule to point out the plotholes in the original story. Rosaline calls Juliet’s idea to fake her death the “dumbest fucking idea” like any other 21st-century reader of the play.

The screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber do not disappoint their fans. The script is filled with comedy, romance and some good conversations while being visually appealing to the audience.

While the movie does not take an extreme stand about the resolution of the original play and allows the lovers to fake their death to stay true to the original resolution, it does not forget to ridicule the few days-long romance of Romeo and Juliet. As the couples escape Verona on a boat, they find it hard to overcome their awkwardness.

Negatives

The plot of the movie becomes too predictable after the introduction of Dario, the charming rational man, as a potential romantic interest for Rosaline.

For people expecting a historically-accurate movie with similar monologues as the Shakespearean play, the movie might not stand up to their expectations. The movie mocks the serious readings of the play by adopting a satirical tone.

Verdict

The movie is not for people looking for a loyal spin-off to Romeo and Juliet. The movie expresses the opinions of a modern viewer through its funny and clever writing. It is a light-hearted and fun watch.