GNOMEO AND JULIET
Love thy neighbor across two feuding yards.
Should You Watch It?
Yes. GNOMEO & JULIET is a delightful, inventive, funny animated musical that introduces families to the core story and principles of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet without its disturbing themes of teenage suicide, tragedy and sex.
The movie’s two feuding groups of garden gnomes create plenty of playful conflict, while Elton John’s snappy pop songs give parents and children something to enjoy together. More importantly, the story teaches forgiveness, reconciliation and love for one’s neighbor without becoming heavy-handed.
There is some light comic violence and other mild content, but it remains suitable for a G-rated family audience. Take the whole family for a wonderful time at the movies.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESIn present-day London, two neighboring yards are home to rival groups of garden gnomes. One group wears red, while the other wears blue.
Gnomeo and Juliet belong to the opposing factions. When they secretly fall in love, they must overcome the prejudices and hostility separating their communities.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this is an especially successful family film. GNOMEO & JULIET is delightful, inventive and funny, with an entertaining animated presentation and a collection of celebrity voices.
Elton John’s snappy pop songs form the core of James Newton Howard’s fun score. The music gives parents plenty to enjoy while they laugh along with their children. The film is quite an achievement in adapting the core story of Romeo & Juliet for a family audience.
The Worldview
The film presents a strong moral worldview with a Christian, redemptive element. Its central conflict grows from prejudice between two feuding groups, but the story moves toward forgiveness, reconciliation and love for one’s neighbor.
The movie preserves the core story and principles of Romeo & Juliet while removing its disturbing themes of teenage suicide, tragedy and sex. Its romantic elements remain positive, and the love between the two leads ultimately helps bring the feuding groups together.
The film’s “Love thy neighbor” message aligns with the biblical call to love others and forgive them. Jesus says, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Strong moral worldview with Christian, redemptive element of forgiveness stressing love thy neighbor, plus some Romantic emotional elements involving two lead characters who have to hide their love from their feuding families; no foul language but a comical reference to famous Lady Macbeth speech about the bloody spot on her hand and a reference to squirrel’s nuts; light comic violence includes several scenes of comedic mayhem by warring factions of garden gnomes, use of giant lawnmower to smash up a lawn, gnomes steal lawnmowers to use them as race cars in a drag race, gnome gets hat cut off, sound of gnome smashing to pieces, gnome dodges traffic and appears to be hit by a truck and smashed; no sex but there is romance; rear nudity of minor gnome character wearing one-piece wrestling T-shirt; no alcohol; no smoking or drugs; and, gnomes steal lawnmowers, one elf illicitly uses its human owner’s computer to order a $10,000 lawnmower without her awareness, and the two lead characters sneak out on their groups to see each other but the romance is ultimately positive and leads to a reconciliation between the two feuding groups.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
The gnomes allow group prejudice to shape how they treat their neighbors. What does Jesus mean when He commands us to love our neighbors?
Mark 12:31 · Luke 10:25–37The two lead characters’ relationship ultimately contributes to reconciliation. When has forgiveness helped repair a relationship in your life?
Ephesians 4:32 · Colossians 3:13The film removes the tragic and disturbing elements of Shakespeare’s original story. How can a story teach truth while still being shaped for its audience?
Philippians 4:8 · 1 Thessalonians 5:21The Final Word
GNOMEO & JULIET offers families a funny, musical introduction to Shakespeare’s famous love story, with a redemptive message about forgiveness and loving your neighbor. Its light comic violence and mild content do not outweigh its warmth or value. The answer is simple: WORTH THE TRIP.
