This still little-known animated film is perfect for introducing children to the world of Shakespeare, and is currently on Disney+.
Romeo and Juliet with garden gnomes! We can not sum up more simply Gnomeo and Juliet, an ultra cute animated film signed by the director Kelly Asbury who had started as an artist at Disney (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid) then Pixar (Toy Story) and on stage Shrek 2.
From 6 years old
The film is a good introduction to the story of Romeo and Juliet since it retains the names of the Montagues and the Capulets, transposing the action to contemporary times and limiting it to two gardens separated by a fence. Small clarification, there are several songs in Gnomeo and Juliet, because it is also a musical punctuated by Elton John songs, also involved in the production!
Touchstone Pictures
The gallery of supporting roles is tasty and deeper than it seems (especially this faience fish which therefore cannot swim) with the message of tolerance and openness towards the other already present in the material of origin.
Older children can have fun spotting the numerous references to pop culture films, from Private Ryan to The Matrix, via Ben-Hur or, of course, Toy Story – objects that come alive, how not to think about them – everything is done so that adults also have something to do in front of a film with a scenario that they surely already know.
Touchstone Pictures
What they will like:
- The revisiting of the universal story of Romeo and Juliet in a setting that makes the whole thing immediately accessible and rid of the darkest moments of the original piece. Moreover, Shakespeare appears himself to talk about his work!
- The face of garden gnomes, but also of Nanette the frog, Champi the mushroom with the smell of a dog and Flamingo the pink plastic flamingo.
- The good atmosphere of the film, perfect for a good time with the family.
Touchstone Pictures
What might worry them:
- The hero is several times put in danger when he participates in a race in mower or finds himself in the middle of the road with the cars which graze him very closely.
- The infiltration / revenge of the blue dwarves on the red dwarves is fraught with pitfalls that can make the little ones tremble. Otherwise, the film is harmless.
They want more?
If they’re hooked, rush to Sherlock Gnomes, in which the garden gnomes are helped by a famous detective and his sidekick Watson to elucidate the sudden disappearance of several of them. Be careful though: the film is not available on Disney+.