Plot Summary
In the coastal city of Verona Beach, the Montague and Capulet families are deeply embroiled in a long-standing feud. Fulgencio and Gloria Capulet (played by Paul Sorvino and Diane Venora), and Ted and Caroline Montague (played by Brian Dennehy and Christina Pickles) have passed on their hatred to the younger generation. There are regular clashes between members of the two families that the Chief of Police, Captain Prince (played by Vondie Curtis-Hall), tries to control.
Amidst this hostility, the Capulets host a grand party at their mansion. Romeo Montague (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) is informed that his crush, Rosaline, will be at the party. His friend Mercutio (played by Harold Perrineau) manages to procure the tickets and they sneak into the event. Romeo indulges in a drug called ecstasy, and sees Juliet Capulet (played by Claire Danes) for the first time. It is love at first sight for both, though they are unaware of each other’s identity. Juliet’s cousin, Tybalt (played by John Leguizamo), recognizes Romeo at the party and vows to teach him a lesson for trespassing into his family’s domain.
Romeo and Juliet soon discover that they belong to feuding families. Uncaring of the fact, Romeo meets Juliet at her balcony the next day. They declare their love and decide to marry. They approach Friar Laurence (played by Pete Postlethwaite), a trusted figure in Verona Beach, and he agrees to marry them secretly, hoping their union will bring about reconciliation between the feuding families.
A violent confrontation erupts between the Montagues and Capulets, when Tybalt accosts Romeo and Mercutio. The fight results in Mercutio's death at Tybalt's hands. Seeking revenge, Romeo kills Tybalt and Captain Prince subsequently banishes him from Verona Beach. Romeo seeks asylum from Father Laurence, and later sends a message through Juliet’s nurse that he wants to meet her. Romeo and Juliet consummate their marriage and he flees to Mantua the next day.
Unaware of Juliet's secret marriage, her parents arrange for her to marry Dave Paris (played by Paul Rudd), the Governor’s son. Desperate to be with Romeo, Juliet seeks Friar Laurence's help. He provides her with a potion that will make her appear dead for 24 hours, with the plan for Romeo to retrieve her from the family tomb after she awakens.
However, the message informing Romeo of the plan fails to reach him in time. Believing Juliet is truly dead, he purchases poison and returns to Verona Beach. In the Capulet tomb, he finds Juliet seemingly lifeless. Overwhelmed by grief, Romeo consumes the poison.
Juliet awakens to find Romeo dead and, in despair, takes his gun and shoots herself. As ambulances take away the dead, the Montagues and Capulets arrive at the scene to witness the devastating consequences of their enduring feud.
In the final scene, a news anchor recaps the events, emphasizing the impact of love and hate on the lives of Romeo and Juliet. The film closes with a television screen broadcasting the anchor's report, underscoring the timeless nature of the tragic tale in the modern setting of Verona Beach.
