Young Werther is your surprise new favourite. Just don't judge by the poster

Sometimes, judging a book by its cover can be quite insightful.

Take Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's The Sorrows of Young Werther (1774), for example. The illustrations accompanying the novel often portray melancholic, tragic scenes that perfectly mirror the story of unrequited love and death. These images, featuring sorrowful young men in fine clothes crying to the heavens or lying dead in their beds, were part of a larger cultural phenomenon known as "Werther fever."

However, in the case of Young Werther, it’s better to set aside such assumptions.

If the "cover" in this instance refers to the adaptation by Canadian writer/director José Lourenço, then we’re already off-track. Young Werther is more of a creative riff than a direct adaptation, resembling the fan-fiction trend that emerged alongside Goethe’s original work.

After The Sorrows of Young Werther was published, a wave of alternate perspectives and endings, known as "Wertheriads," emerged. Writers took the tragic tale of the lovelorn Werther and used it as a springboard for their own narratives. Some imagined a happy ending for Werther and Charlotte, while others told the story from Charlotte's point of view.

Even Mary Shelley's Frankenstein includes a moment where the monster mourns Werther, much like a teenager discovering an emotionally intense album.

Lourenço’s Young Werther also takes a unique approach: What if Werther were a wealthy, aimless 20-something, always traveling and exploring new, expensive hobbies? Although that might sound exhausting, this bittersweet rom-com has a surprisingly subversive heart, despite a promotional poster that suggests otherwise.

The poster, which features awkwardly posed images of three people against a garden and Toronto skyline, gives off the impression of a low-budget film. Yet, beneath this unappealing exterior lies something more intriguing.

Douglas Booth plays Werther, an energetic but aimless writer who’s sent to Toronto by his mother to retrieve a valuable statue. Once there, he meets Charlotte (Alison Pill) and charms his way into her birthday party. As love begins to blossom between them, disaster strikes when Charlotte reveals she’s engaged to Albert (Patrick J. Adams), a successful lawyer who seems more absorbed in his work than his fiancée.

While the adaptation takes the basic framework of Goethe's story, it doesn’t follow the original too closely. Lourenço uses it more as a loose starting point, with references to Werther's signature blue coat and yellow-beige pants, as well as humorous nods to the melodramatic nature of the original tale. At one point, when asked if he’s about to do something drastic, Werther replies, "What is this, 18th-century Germany?"

In bringing this classic character into the modern world, the challenge is making Werther somewhat likable. And Booth faces this challenge head-on. Werther comes across as a selfish, impulsive hedonist who disrupts the lives of others to satisfy his own desires. He embodies the worst qualities of the "living for the day" trope, selfishly seeking sympathy for his self-indulgent behavior.

Booth’s previous experience in literary roles, such as Pip in Great Expectations and Romeo in Romeo & Juliet, proves useful here. His portrayal of Werther manages to make the character’s most grating tendencies appear endearing. Combined with Alison Pill’s subtle portrayal of Charlotte’s growing desperation, and the strong performances of supporting characters, Young Werther’s relationships elevate the story.

Lourenço’s direction is key to the film’s success. Instead of glorifying Werther’s self-pity, the film introduces a healthy dose of self-awareness. The tone is lighter than the original work’s dark melancholy, reminiscent of the quirky, melancholic vibe found in other recent Canadian works. Lourenço doesn’t let Werther off the hook, offering a refreshing contrast to the trend of romanticizing troubled characters.

Similar to how Jessie Eisenberg’s A Real Pain subverts the typical road-trip formula, Young Werther complicates the romantic narrative. It’s satisfying because of what is left unspoken, with much left unresolved.

For a first-time feature, Lourenço succeeds in delivering something more than expected. So, don’t judge it by its poster.