“That was some serious Jane Eyre shit” proclaims Melanie (Amrit Kaur) after watching her friend Charolette (Alison Pill) waltz with the charismatic Werther (Douglas Booth) at a trendy Toronto bar. It is one of several self-referential moments in José Avelino Gilles Corbett Lourenço’s Young Werther that cheekily reminds viewers of the film’s literary origins. However, much like Amy Heckerling’s Clueless before it, which was a loose adaption Jane Austin’s “Emma”, Young Werther has no desire to be a stuffy period piece.
Turning Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s tragic 1770 novella “The Sorrows of Young Werther” into a jaunty romantic comedy, Lourenço’s film feels far more in touch with modern times than the neoclassical period the source material was birthed in. Using Goethe’s text as the structural blueprint, it is the chemistry between its principal leads that give Young Werther its true dimensions.
Anchored by strong performances by Pill and Booth, the film carries a breezy feel while tackling unrequited love and the complicated triangles that it can cause. Venturing to Toronto for one day to attend to family business, before heading off to Europe with his cousin Paul (Jaouhar Ben Ayed), Werther believes he has found the woman of his dreams when he lays eyes on Charlotte. Unlike any of the women he has wooed in the past, Charlotte proves to be somewhat of a challenge as she is not easily swayed by his charms.
Complicating matters further is the fact that the object of his desire is engaged to Albert (Patrick J. Adams), a lawyer who is a nice guy. It also doesn’t help that she, much like her younger sister Sissy (Iris Apatow), slowly becomes enticed by the sense of spontaneous adventure that Werther provides. As the pair become increasingly flirtatious, and Werther tries integrates himself into Charlotte and Albert’s life, once clear lines start to blur.
As Werther wrestles with his melancholy that the woman he loves is attached to another, Young Werther manages to maintain its refreshingly upbeat demeanor. While the source material offers a pessimistic view of young love, and the eternal torture that unrequited affection provides, Lourenço’s film focuses more on the joys of connection. Even if a person does not return the sentiments of love, the fleeting moments of interaction can still be profound and life altering.
What makes this tale of young love resonate is the natural chemistry that Pill and Booth share. Pill has frequently given wonderful performances in dramas and science fiction works; however, it is delightful to see her playing in the light-hearted romantic space. Convincing as Charlotte, the audience understands both the character’s desire for adventure and what draws her to both men. For his part, Booth is magnetic as the roguish titular character who finds himself navigating affairs of the heart on a meaningful level for the first time. Thanks to Booth, Werther never comes across as the villain, even when trying to sabotage Albert’s relationship, which allows the character’s sullen moments to be more relatable.
Lourenço’s ability to turn Toronto itself into a magical place of romance is also commendable. Framing the city as a place of discovery, Nick Haight’s richly textured cinematography makes Toronto pop in a colourful way that further adds to the film’s overall charms.
Although some of dramatic beats in the second half do not land as well as the comic moments, it does not take a way from the sense of joy the film evokes. An enchanting and lively romantic comedy, Young Werther offers a fresh take on a classic tale of love and complex relationships.
