Rosaline gives the unknown and very funny side story of a missing character from Shakespeare's play! It is directed by Karen Maine who also wrote and directed the comedy, Yes, God, Yes (2019). The film is based on the novel, When You Were Mine, by Rebecca Serle. The screenplay is by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, who both co-wrote 500 Days of Summer (2009). The twist on a Shakespeare play does remind me of Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (1990) based on Hamlet. The film was written and directed by Tom Stoppard based on his 1966 play.
Here, Rosaline was Juliet’s cousin and the reason why Romeo showed up at the party so he could see her. Rosaline's character was played by Lashana Lynch in the drama series, Still Star-Crossed (2017) based on Melinda Taub’s 2013 novel. Rosaline is streaming on Hulu and on Disney+ until February 15th. We see the stars, “Verona, Italy”, out of the bushes comes Romeo (Kyle Allen), “(a really long time ago)." Allen played Balkan in West Side Story (2021). The time already sets the comedic tone. He brushes some leaves out of his hair which I find funny.
Out from the balcony, comes a woman in red robes who calls for Romeo, the expectation is of course Juliet, but this is Rosaline (Kaitlyn Dever). Dear Evan Hansen (2021) featured Dever as Zoe Murphy. Dever is also the executive producer of this movie. Romeo climbs up with a bouquet of flowers and kisses her. Romeo compares looking at her to “the purest fountain”, a little Elizabethean. Allen’s hammy gestures adds to the silliness. Rosaline interrupts him to ask about his strange speech which he explains as romantic. So let’s do away with talking like Shakespeare and just have fun. He continues with his romantic speak, but almost slips off the balcony, funny!
Rosaline helps him up and he says their names will be remembered for centuries, Romeo and - he is interrupted by Rosaline’s father who calls out her name! The first time her name is said just in case you didn’t realize who she is in the film. She tells him to hide and then goes to father. Rosaline opens the door, pretending she is sleepy, and Adrian Capulet (Bradley Whitford) said he heard voices. Whitford was in tick, tick… BOOM! (2021) portraying Stephen Sondheim. Rosaline explains she was talking to herself on the commode! She continues with Romeo saying their relationship is secret and they kiss. Also, his family, the Montagues, and her’s, the Capulets are enemies. He says they will be together forever.
He climbs down and we get Natalie Cole’s “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love).” She says, “A thousand times good night”, which is later Juliet’s line, and Romeo replies, “Nice one.” Romeo leaves back into the bushes. On the balcony, she ponders their names, “Romeo and Rosaline.” Rosaline is wakened from her sleep by Nurse (Minnie Driver). I think of Driver the most from Ella Enchanted (2004) with the similarity of the tone here. Rosaline says she wants to date whom she wants to date.
She says it is unfair to which Nurse says she went to nursing school for seven years, this is too much fun! Nurse lifts up her food tray which has a book that excites Rosaline. She says that lunch is at noon, Rosaline says it is too early!, and the nurse has Adrian’s heavy dress for her. Later, Rosaline and her father are walking the halls while he explains that her sisters are all married. At lunch, Rosaline wears the hat given by her father, looking bored at her suitor’s babbling. Mr. Danieli (Lew Temple) can’t believe she wants a career which Rosaline says is to be a cartographer.
Rosaline mentions that Josephine goes everywhere with her, Danieli asks where she is, and Rosaline points to an empty chair! She shouts to Josephine to take something out of her mouth, LOL! Danieli storms out of the room. Her father is exasperated and Rosaline just shrugs. She walks in the Verona streets with Paris (Spencer Stevenson) who acts as a suitor in Juliet in the play. Stevenson was in the comedy, Rollers (2021). He brings up that she wants to marry for love. As they walk, Romeo brushes his hand against her’s, and walks ahead of them.
Rosaline catches up to Romeo in the courtyard. She stands next to him, their fingers touch, as he examines a jeweled necklace. Rosaline is warned to stay away from the Capulets by Tybalt (Alistair Toovey) The mini-series, Tut, starred Toovey. At Romeo’s side is his good friend, Mercutio, played by Henry Hunter Hall. The actor stars in the crime series, Hunters. Tybalt keeps up his threats until they draw swords. Romeo falls as swords cross over him. Rosaline is not impressed, breaking up the fight, and she tells them to put their swords in their pants!
Paris finds Romeo attractive and Rosaline is about to tell him her secret when we cut to another kiss on the balcony. Romeo gives her the jeweled necklace with their names carved onto the centerpiece. She wants to live far away on a mountain, Romeo says he could write poetry, and then brings up she could watch the children. This makes Rosaline pause. He tells her he loves her. Rosaline is not quick with a reply. Romeo takes the awkward pause to get to his climb. She brings up the Capulet Ball and that it will be a masquerade so their identity will be secret. This is a slight detour from the original.
In the morning, Rosaline tells the Nurse that she was surprised by Romeo’s words. She hopes to make it up to him at the ball as the Nurse fits the mask on Rosaline. Adrian enters and says a family from the north, the Penzas, has a son who survived a war. There is a knock at the door. Rosaline argues with her father as we see the poor guy, Dario Penza (Sean Teale) on a chair outside. Hiraga was in the comedy, booksmart (2019) which also starred Dever. I was thinking who could Rosaline fall for and seeing the hapless Dario on the chair listening to the argument, yeah, it has to be him!
He overhears Rosaline says she wants to travel the world with someone she loves. Dario stands up as Adrian introduces his daughter. Rosaline is so blase that she doesn’t look at him. Adrian leaves them with a hopeful smile. Dario and Rosaline are taking a carriage ride, she interrupts Dario calling him “soldier boy”!, and doesn’t want to hear about the dowry of the arranged marriage including horses. He adds “cow”, they are not rich, and they say they are not each other’s type. Dario says his type is not a shrew! Next, He is out preparing a boat, but Rosaline is hesitant saying it’s not safe.
Dario says he is a master helmsman. She continues making excuses and he realizes she is afraid. She wants to travel the world, but can’t get in a boat? He says she is afraid of getting into the boat. She makes fun of his pronunciation of “water”, I like the jab at the accent, and Rosaline tells him that she is afraid of fish! Finally, she unsteadily gets into the boat, Dario says it will be fun. Romeo appears at the ball with his mask. He tries to find Rosaline in all of the dancers. On the boat, Dario offers Rosaline pancetta and he says he learned how to cook from his mother on their farm. Rosaline tells him she has a secret boyfriend.
Dario then goes to turn the boat back to shore. Interesting that we get the reason why Rosaline was not at the ball. Thunder rumbles and rain comes splattering down! Dario shouts that they have to wait out the storm. Rosaline insists that she has to get to the ball. Romeo is impatient standing on a bridge. Rosaline gets out rows as Dario smiles. He says she is rowing them backwards. Romeo goes around checking to see if he can find Rosaline. Then, he lifts up his mask, and runs into an unmasked Juliet (Isabela Merced). The actress also starred in the comedy remake, Father of the Bride (2022). We see closeup of their eyes as they introduce themselves and smile.
At the dock, Rosaline and Dario admit it was the worst night of their lives. It is so perfect in its imperfection. Rosaline leaves him. She rushes in at the close of the ball. In her room, Rosaline writes a letter to Romeo. In the morning, she rides up to Steve the Courier (Nico Hiraga) to ask if he delivered her letter. Hiraga was also in the comedy, booksmart (2019). He is the stoner type. Rosaline worries about Romeo’s response as she is being fitted by the nurse in front of a mirror. Paris jumps out and says that Romeo is on his way. Rosalie rushes out to the balcony. She sees Romeo gather a bouquet of flowers and then run to the side.
Rosaline follows him through the hedge maze. At night, Romeo slips past the guardsman and Rosaline follows him. She struggles up a wall saying that Romeo could have friends. Romeo’s romantic words are more refined after his first draft. Rosaline remarks at the familiar words, “Son of a -“ Juliet’s nurse calls and they kiss. A tear falls from Rosaline. The next morning, a violinist plays Eric Carmen’s “All By Myself” as Juliet sulks in bed. The Nurse sends him away and Rosaline says she drove Romeo to the woman who is unknown to her. Love needs to be tested. Rosaline needs some advice from Anna from Frozen (2013).
There is a knock at the door. She meets her uncle, Lord Capulet (Christopher McDonald) and aunt, Lady Capulet (Mercedes Colon). McDonald is in the series, Hacks, and Colon was in the horror movie, Malignant (2021). They bring in her cousin, Tybalt, and then their daughter. It is almost horror movie music as Rosaline’s smile dissolves and she sees Juliet. Her cousin hugs her. Rosaline realizes that Juliet grew up since the last time she saw her. At the dinner table, Lord Capulet is disappointed that Adrian is not angry at the Montagues.
Rosaline interrupts them and says her uncle could move to Siena. Lord Capulet is stunned Adrian lets his daughter speak at the dinner table. Adrian tells Rosaline to take Juliet to the garden. Tybalt smiles. At the garden, Juliet remarks at Rosaline talking back to her father, she says she can’t wait until she grows old as her! Juliet is about to tell Rosaline her secret and when says she’s in love, Rosaline’s ball hits a bird! Now, it’s Rosaline’s turn to give advice, set Juliet away from Romeo. Rosaline has a strong, but flawed lead in Kaitlin Dever with a fun, modern spin on the classic Shakespearean romance!
Five Letters out of Five!
#Rosaline, #KarenMaine, #KaitlynDever, #SeanTeale, #KyleAllen, #IsabelaMerced, #MinnieDriver, #BradleyWhitford, #NicoHiraga
No comments:
Post a Comment