“R#J,” Carey Williams' reimagining of Romeo and Juliet, offers an unusual approach to the familiar story, though it ultimately proves frustrating. The film’s length feels excessive, particularly the extended conclusion, and the concept of presenting everything through social media and phone screens quickly grows tiresome. The core narrative remains true to Shakespeare’s play; audiences already acquainted with the tragic romance will recognize the events unfolding between the Montagues and Capulets. In this version, Verona's youth record the escalating conflict via their devices, resulting in a rapid succession of Instagram posts, texts, video calls, photos, animated images, and music selections that accompany the action. The dialogue is an odd combination of traditional phrasing and contemporary language, with lines delivered in a blend of Shakespearean verse and modern slang. Williams demonstrates an original and complete vision for his adaptation, incorporating technology to refresh this well-known story, and there's enjoyment to be found in observing his techniques. While he comes up with some clever ways to integrate the narrative into today’s world, these moments are counterbalanced by stretches of irritation. The project would have been more effective as a shorter piece. The film is deliberately unconventional, featuring unsettling elements such as live-streamed suicides on YouTube. There are awkward sections throughout, but “R#J” provides an interesting and diverse take on Shakespeare’s original work, and I can understand what the director was aiming for.

Source on TMDB