Much like Clueless and 10 Things I Hate About You modernized the works of Jane Austen and Shakespeare, Young Werther reimagines Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s The Sorrows of Young Werther in present-day Toronto. The Toronto setting initially drew me in (it is, after all, the greatest city in the world), but it was the film’s charm that ultimately won me over.
Written and directed by first-timer José Lourenço, the movie follows Werther, a passionate and sensitive young Montrealer who, during a two-day trip to Toronto, falls deeply in love with Charlotte, a woman already engaged to another: a rich, successful, and unfortunately nice lawyer.
A love triangle is not the most original plot device for a rom-com, but Lourenço smartly focuses on the character interactions, which are delightful. The dialogue’s modernized take on Goethe’s language delivers mixed results, clever moments shine, like Werther’s jokes and qualms, but occasionally it stumbles, as with clunky attempts at humor like “She’s a reader, THAT READS!”
Like the aforementioned modern adaptations, it doesn’t really matter if you’ve never heard of Werther. In fact, if it weren’t for the opening title screen, you might not even realize this is based on an 18th-century novel. It all works well as a romantic comedy plot, and the added drama is effective.
What really makes it work, though, is the cast. Douglas Booth brings spontaneity to Werther while not shying away from his flaws. Booth captures Werther’s immaturity in a way that makes him understandable, even when his behavior veers into stalking. At the same time, Alison Pill conveys why Charlotte is both flattered and overwhelmed by Werther’s attention, as well as her internal conflict about her true feelings. It’s refreshing to see a love triangle where no one is clearly “the bad guy,” although Albert, Charlotte’s fiancé, could have been portrayed with a bit more charisma. Characters frequently describe him as a genuinely nice person, but some of his actions come off as overly polished or insincere. His other big flaw is his workaholic tendencies (and really, who can blame him in a city like Toronto?).
Patrick J. Adams strikes a good balance between likable and quirky, while Charlotte’s friend and sister complement the cast well. Overall, the performances are strong, maintaining a breezy tone that’s perfectly complemented by a lovely score balancing classical influences with modern rom-com sensibilities.
While José Lourenço still has room to grow as a visual director, some character movements and mis-en-scène choices feel awkward or confusing, his script uses the novel’s drama to craft an engaging story, especially for those unfamiliar with the source material. Young Werther is a delightful rom-com, with charming leads and a strong debut for Lourenço.
- 1. Sinners
- 2. Shepherds (Bergers)
- 3. The Ballad of Wallis Island
- 4. Kiss of the Spider Woman
- 5. One of Them Days
- 14. Young Werther
- Where to watch
Crave
Not available for streaming
Play trailer
- Original title
- Young Werther
- Director
- José Lourenço
- Cast
- Douglas Booth, Alison Pill, Patrick J. Adams, Iris Apatow, Jaouhar Ben Ayed, Amrit Kaur, Scott Thompson, Janelle Hutchison
- Rated
- R
- Screenwriter
- José Lourenço, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
- Composer
- Owen Pallett
- Cinematography
- Nick Haight
- Editor
- Sandy Pereira
- Country
- Language
- English
- Streaming (CA)
- Crave
- Buy / rent (CA)
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Amazon Video