Young Werther

Wit and unrequited love are at the core of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s 18th-century novella The Sorrows of Young Werther, and those elements are updated and adapted beautifully in this snappy, humorous reimagining, set in modern-day Toronto.

Werther, played by Douglas Booth (Shoshana, TIFF ’23), is making a brief pit stop to retrieve a statue before departing on a European adventure with his best friend, but a chance encounter with Charlotte (Alison Pill, All My Puny Sorrows, TIFF ’21 ), puts those plans on hold until he can win her over. He falls more in love with her as they spend time together. She’s introverted, loves to read, and has been the main caretaker of her siblings since the deaths of their parents. A small snag to their union, however, is that Charlotte is engaged to successful lawyer Albert (Patrick J. Adams, The Swearing Jar, TIFF ’22).

Hurdles continue to pile up against Werther, not the least of which is that Albert is so darn likeable to everyone, including our protagonist. But while he suffers in comically escalating situations in his dogged pursuit of romance, the object of his affection might be having misgivings about her upcoming nuptials. Charlotte, supported by friends played by Amrit Kaur (The Queen of My Dreams, TIFF ’23) and Iris Apatow (Funny People), finds herself drawn to the fun that Werther has brought into her life. But will she be swayed?

With delightful performances from Booth, Pill, and the rest of the cast, director José Avelino Gilles Corbett Lourenço’s feature debut succeeds in the difficult task of preserving the pertinence of Goethe’s dark and philosophical work in a bright and fun romantic comedy for a modern audience.

KELLY BOUTSALIS

Content advisory: sexual content