Letters to Juliet

The Italian city of Verona is the famous location of the Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet. 

Every day thousands of lovelorn individuals, usually women, write to Juliet looking for advice.  The same Juliet as in Romeo and Juliet.  Though a fictional character, this city has monuments to her which allows the visitor, even if just briefly, to believe in her and to seek her advice.  Verona employs secretaries to reply to those letters providing they have return addresses.

This is the premise of the love story.  50 years earlier, Claire (Vanessa Redgrave) wrote to Juliet distraught because she had a forbidden love that she let slip by.  Sophie, a fact checker and wanna be journalist, (Amanda Seyfried) is visiting Verona, the city of love and honeymooners, with her fiance Victor (Gael Garcia Bernal) as he zealously investigates possible suppliers for his new restaurant.  Victor is involved to the point of obsession so Sophie decides to explore the city's sites on her own.  She visits the famous wall where letter after letter is posted seeking advice of Juliet.  Curious, Sophie follows the secretary who collects the letters.  Through this association, Sophie discovers Claire's letter. 

Sophie takes on the role of temporary secretary and answers Claire's letter,  telling her that true love endures and encouraging her to find her Lorenzo.  Claire's grandson comes to Verona to meet the secretary who wrote her grandmother and confronts Sophie for foolishly encouraging the whimsical dreams of his grandmother.  Claire took her advice and when Sophie and Claire meet, Sophie knows there's a story in this.  Thus begins the journey of Claire, her grandson Charlie (Christopher Egan) and Sophie in the backseat, traversing across the Italian countryside to vineyards and quaint villages in search of Claire's beloved Lorenzo.

This is a heartwarming film written by one of Juliet's secretaries and her sister.  Bringing to the screen the true pursuit of love.  Will love prevail?  You`ll have to watch to find out.  Oh, and bring tissues.

Rated 4.5/5

See below article for background information on the real ``Letters to Juliet``.