R and J explained

R#J
Director:Carey Williams
Producer:
Screenplay:
  • Rickie Castaneda
  • Oleksii Sobolev
  • Carey Williams
Starring:
Music:Rene G. Boscio
Cinematography:Diego Madrigal
Editing:Lam Nguyen
Production Companies:Interface Films
Runtime:91 min.
Country:United States
Language:English

R#J is a 2021 American experimental romantic drama film written by Rickie Castaneda, Oleksii Sobolev and Carey Williams, who is also the director. The film stars David Zayas, María Gabriela de Faría, Diego Tinoco and RJ Cyler. The film is a modern-day adaptation of Shakespeare's romantic tragedy Romeo and Juliet, told through text messages, photos and videos on mobile phones and social media posts.

The film had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival on January 30, 2021.

Cast

Release

The film had its premiere in the 2021 Sundance Film Festival on January 30, 2021 in the Next section.[3] It also screened at South by Southwest in March 2021, where it won the Adobe Editing Award.[4]

Reception

R#J received mixed reviews from critics. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes surveyed and, categorizing the reviews as positive or negative, assessed 14 as positive and 13 as negative for a 52% rating. Among the reviews, it determined an average rating of 6.4 out of 10. The critics consensus reads: "R#J represents an admirable attempt to update Romeo and Juliet, but alas, its bounty is not quite as boundless as the sea."[5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 'On My Block's Diego Tinoco, Siddiq Saunderson Set For 'Romeo and Juliet' Screenlife Adaptation From Producer Timur Bekmambetov. Deadline. Amanda. N'Duka. April 20, 2020. January 18, 2021.
  2. Web site: Camaron Engels and Francesca Noel to Star in 'Romeo and Juliet,' Produced by Timur Bekmambetov (EXCLUSIVE). Variety. Leo. Barraclough. April 7, 2020. January 18, 2021.
  3. Web site: Sundance Film Festival Lineup Features 38 First-Time Directors, Including Rebecca Hall and Robin Wright. Variety. Peter. Debruge. December 15, 2020. January 18, 2021.
  4. Web site: SXSW Film Festival: 'The Fallout' and Docu 'Lily Topples the World' Among Jury Award Winners. March 19, 2021.
  5. Web site: R#J (2021) Reviews. April 5, 2021. Rotten Tomatoes.