To say this movie sucked would be too kind. I'll just say that at least the producers decided not to use the bard's old English (thank you). But I think the only person who actually read the play was the screenwriter and they still failed. Translating this oft imitated doomed love story to a modern Hispanic urban setting doesn't play as well as Baz Luhrmann's update, which was also based in California. No doubt there was not a large production budget here, but there was not enough emphasize on the drama and instead tended to focus on the hood angle, making it more a gangster wannabe flick than a love story. Then there was that soft core porn moment, which was not really necessary. The actress who played Juliet's best friend truly stood out. She did a great job. Everyone else in the cast could have benefited from an acting class or at least watching the Actor's Studio on the Bravo cable channel. Yes, I kept the DVD remote busy. Welcome to the Fast Forward Nation.
Review of Barrio Wars
