BBC's Mint: A Whimsical Gangland Retelling of Romeo and Juliet in Glasgow
The age-old romance of Romeo and Juliet has been transported to the gritty housing estates of Glasgow in BBC1's new drama Mint, but this adaptation comes with a heavy dose of stylised whimsy that divides critics. The series follows Shannon, played by Emma Laird, the spoilt daughter of a crime boss, who falls instantly in love with a shy lad named Arran, portrayed by Loyle Carner. Their budding romance is complicated by the revelation that Arran is the brother of an upstart gangster intent on sparking a violent turf war.
Narrative Structure and Stylistic Choices
Writer and director Charlotte Regan employs a unique narrative device by splitting the first hour into two distinct episodes, a technique increasingly favoured by the BBC. This structure allows the opening half to focus intently on Shannon's perspective, while the second delves into Arran's viewpoint, providing a dual lens on the unfolding drama.
However, the series has drawn criticism for its intrusive emphasis on magical fantasy and metaphor. Every glance Shannon casts at Arran is accompanied by her eyes filling with sparkles, and from her perspective, he is perpetually surrounded by a blaze of sparks that burst like champagne bubbles. This heavily artificial storytelling creates bizarre stylistic clashes, juxtaposing straightforward gang war violence—such as a minion being stabbed and bleeding over a snooker table—with dreamlike sequences where Shannon's fantasies light up with lightning flashes and electric explosions.
Character Dynamics and Thematic Elements
The character of Cat, Shannon's mother played by Laura Fraser, adds another layer to the narrative. Her observation, 'You're smitten,' feels redundant given the overt visual cues, but it underscores the series' tendency to spell out emotions that are already glaringly apparent. Cat's own backstory reveals a life lived in a similarly heightened state; she fell head-over-heels at 16 for Dylan, a mad-eyed thug with a business brain, portrayed by Sam Riley.
Dylan's world is one of excess and brutality, where parties involve cocaine-fuelled prize fights, including bouts between father and son. His mother, Ollie, played by Lindsay Duncan, reigns as the crime world queen, though her efforts seem more focused on romantic entanglements with hired muscle than on maintaining her empire. In a clever rewrite of the classic balcony scene, Ollie gazes over a balustrade at hoodlums below, ranking them by sexiness, while Shannon hangs out of a window, yelling at a suitor in a parallel retelling.
Critiques of Stylisation and Pacing
The series' stagey elements extend to its pacing and visual transitions. In one notable scene, when Shannon and Arran embark on an afternoon drive, day instantly turns to nighttime, placing the lovers under a solitary streetlight—a moment that evokes the Dire Straits version of Romeo and Juliet, complete with a soundtrack hinting at youthful rebellion. This abrupt shift exemplifies the show's penchant for dramatic, almost theatrical, flourishes that some viewers may find jarring.
Early moments, such as Shannon floating blissfully into the air with arms outstretched, risk confusing audiences, with one critic noting it resembled an insurance advert where satisfied customers bob against the ceiling. While a shovelful of artiness can enhance Shakespearean adaptations, Mint pushes the boundaries of tolerable whimsy, leaving viewers to ponder how much airy-fairyness a gangland drama can sustain before losing its gritty authenticity.
Ultimately, Mint is a bold experiment in blending genres, but its success hinges on whether audiences can embrace its magical realism amidst the violence of Glasgow's underworld.
