‘R#J’ Film Review: Shakespeare for Social Media? LOL, OK
Sundance 2021: Carey Williams’ ambitious attempt to adapt star-crossed lovers to Instagram feels awkward and instantly datedElizabeth Weitzman | January 30, 2021 @ 8:42 PM Last Updated: January 30, 2021 @ 9:17 PM
Charles Murphy/Sundance Institute
If every generation gets the “Romeo and Juliet” it deserves, well, Gen Z may need to wait a little longer for theirs. It probably won’t be Sundance entry “R#J,” which is so intently of-the-moment it almost feels dated before the credits roll.
For his first feature, director Carey Williams uses Screenlife in which the entire story unfolds on devices to retell Shakespeare’s timeless tale, with a few notable twists. This time, Romeo and Juliet fall in love while DMing each other emojis and gifs from “The Office.” Purists need not apply, of course, but that’s OK: the Bard can stand up to interpretations from any era. Then again, where’s the