Review of Gnomeo & Juliet (2011) by Jonathan M — 24 Jan 2017

Gnomeo and Juliet: Almost a Rose by Another Name.

As soon as the title Gnomeo and Juliet hits the screen, we can infer several things about the film we are about to watch. Invariably, we will have two warring parties, from which two star-crossed lovers will find one another before tragedy inevitably befalls them. This is a formula created centuries ago and repeated endlessly, as mentioned by our first on-screen gnome and stand-in chorus. However, we can also infer by the title (as well as being told directly by our gnome chorus) that this telling will be different. And different it is.

Starting at the most obvious point, this is a film for kids. Almost every scene explodes with saturated colors (specifically the reds and blues of the opposing houses), slapstick comedy, and energetic-to-the-point-of-dizzying characters (I'm looking at you Nanette the frog). Instead of brawls in the streets of fair Verona, our characters instead compete in, albeit still violent, lawnmower racing. And keep in mind, all of this is occurring while our characters are cute, pint sized, and often comically dressed garden gnomes. For a movie aimed at children, I can think of few better formulas for success.

With all of the adjustments made for the younger audience, the Shakespeare purist may cry blasphemy and condemn the film as a mockery of the stage. This would be an error on the side of the purist. Gnomeo and Juliet makes many nods to its theatrical heritage, including opening and closing with a stage and curtain, and a mid-movie interlude with William Shakespeare, the Great Bard himself. Beyond this cameo, the film also follows the Shakespearian blueprint of Romeo and Juliet with a surprising degree of accuracy. The themes of love overcoming hate, revenge ending in loss, and loss ending the hate all come through prominently.

A few specific scenes clearly tie the film to its roots, such as Gnomeo's first encounter with Juliet. As Juliet runs across roof-tops, garbed like a ninja in order to procure a rare flower for the Red garden, one can only question how the writers created that scene out of what was originally the Capulet ball. But as the camera shift to focus on Gnomeo's face as he watches Juliet, dumbfounded from afar, the link to Shakespeare becomes clear. This gaze from afar is perhaps one of the most iconic moments in the Romeo and Juliet tale. Even the film Warm Bodies can't refrain from recreating the gaze moment, as the zombie R looks on lovingly at Julie, despite the chaos of consuming flesh and head-shot zombies all around them. And if you can pull off a Shakespearian moment in that sort of situation, you can pull one off anywhere.

All in all, Gnomeo and Juliet will more than likely never be found in any "Recommended Shakespeare Watching" sections, and purists will often denounce it as rubbish. But I think that's ok, because Gnomeo and Juliet should have a place of its own. This film should not be stuffed into the archives of Shakespearian canon to be poured over and analyzed and critiqued and debated. It should be on a child height shelf, surrounded by crayons and toys, and easily accessible to be enjoyed by its target audience.