A literary classic gets revived withYoung Werther, based on the 1774 novel by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The film takes the basic outline of the original story and updates it for modern sensibilities. Douglas Booth stars as the title character, a wealthy young man of the the leisure class who falls in love with Charlotte,played by Alison Pill. The only problem: she’s already engaged to another man (Patrick J. Adams). Undeterred, Werther decides to embark on a misguided quest to steal Charlotte’s heart.
Alison Pill is best known to genre fans for her roles in classicpop culture franchises such asStar TrekandScott Pilgrim Vs The World. She also notably appeared in Bong Joon Ho’sSnowpiercerand had a small, but pivotal, role in M. Night Shyamalan’s latest film,Trap. InYoung Werther, she gets to play an object of romantic lust, but doesn’t play her character as an object to be won, perhaps to Werther’s chagrin. All told,Young Wertheris a lovely romantic comedy that subverts genre conventions with a nigh-literary focus on its dialogue and an endearing empathy towards all of its characters.
Young Werther Review: Modern Rom-Coms Should Be More Like This Charming 18th-Century Book Adaptation
This charming new rom-com brings a centuries-old novel to life with fun updates and interesting aesthetic choices that set it apart from modern films.
ScreenRantinterviews Alison Pill about her character inYoung Werther, as well as some of her most notable franchise roles. She spoke about how she almost missed out on the film due to changing her e-mail address, and expressed whether she thinks she’ll ever return to the worlds ofStar TrekandScott Pilgrim.
“I went, oh, my God, it’s José! And I’ve known José for 20 years!”
Screen Rant: I was just thinking about your movie,Young Werther, and how it makes me happy and sad. It makes me wish that impossible things could happen.
Alison Pill: I agree! I love that it’s a mix of all the things. And every time I watch it, I walk away happy, sad, inspired, imaginative. It does feel like an opening of possibility that we don’t really acknowledge every day. At the same time, it’s like, yeah, that’s life. It’s not easy. It’s not simple.
Yeah. It’s weirdly invigorating, which is surprising considering the character is a… I used the word with Douglas and I was like, it’s okay if I use this word, right? Because he’s such a fop.
Alison Pill: Yes! I believe foppish is the exact right way to describe Werther. Yes.
If only I had the luxury of being a fop.
Alison Pill: Yeah. Yeah! The class elements of the film are definitely present, where you’re like, what are these people doing? You just like, walk around eating gelato all summer? Yes. That’s the fantasy element. (Laughs)
How did the movie come to your attention? Does your agent go, “Alison, you’ve gotta read this!” What was that story?
Alison Pill: It’s very funny because I got the script and read it without having… I often do this. I’m not entirely professional. (Laughs) But I read the script without looking at any of the details of it. It’s just sort of like, the most important thing to me is the script. And if it’s good, then great. Without really looking at who’s going to be doing it or whatever else.
I read the script and laughed aloud. I was moved. I had not read a script with dialogue this good in… I don’t remember when. A very long time. So few people spend time on the dialogue. There might be great narrative structure. There might be good plot, but the dialogue is sort of meh. But this one just felt shiny and new and lovely. And then I looked at the rest of the email and I was like, José Avelino Gilles Corbett Lourenço… I went, “Oh, my God, it’s José! And I’ve known José for 20 years!”
I was so relieved. It ended up that he had sent the script. It turned out, he had sent the script to my old e-mail and I had never gotten it. So I reconnected with him. This is his first feature, and that added a whole other element to why I wanted to do it, because he’s one of the best humans in the world. And it was such a joy to have read it without that filter and to have been that impressed without any worry that it was because he’s one of the people I’ve known longest in the world, you know?
I got to interview him last week, and he was a delight. Was there anything that you were impressed or surprised by when it came to actually being directed by him?
Alison Pill: I was so impressed. This did not feel this did not feel like someone’s first feature. He’s directed commercials and music videos, so he’s done directing before. But in terms of “first features” or the feeling of anxiety that can be around when you’re working with a director may not have a full command just via experience, there was none of that. His humility and his ability to work with others and ask questions, not from a place of fear, but of learning and openness, made such a difference. It didn’t come across like, “I don’t know what I’m doing.”
There was a real magic to the set itself in terms of everybody deciding to make it good (Laughs). But that’s not always the case! But when you have someone at the helm who very much is aware of how soul crushing these things can be, (Laughs) making indie film can really take it out of you! But to have commitment from every department, to have Nick, our absolutely incredible DP, who’s annoyingly like 26 years old, it’s very frustrating, (Laughs) to have all of these things come together from people’s talents. And again, having curiosity across the board just elevated things beyond our budget.
Alison Pill On Potentially Returning To Star Trek & Scott Pilgrim
“I would happily revisit Jurati Borg Queen any time. I f****** love Jurati”
Yeah, it definitely it definitely punches way above its weight on so many levels. It looks gorgeous. It’s incredibly well written. I loved it. Now, I have a couple of questions, the Screen Rant questions. We’re all big nerds. We loveStar Trek.And I wonder, not to ask you directly about returning as my favorite Borg Queen…
Alison Pill: Oh, really? Oh my gosh, that means so much for you to say!
But when it comes to a role like that, a character in a franchise, are you on retainer? Can they go, like, “Alison, we need you, you gotta drop what you’re doing and jump back in to Star Trek?
Alison Pill: If I was on a retainer, I could pay my mortgage and just wait for Star Trek to call! Then I could have Summers eating gelato! No, there’s no retainer. But I would happily revisit Jurati Borg Queen any time. I f–king love Jurati and loved being part of that crew. But I don’t know what the possibilities of that are, since I was sent to deal with the possible invasion.
She’s just waiting there, right?
Alison Pill: She’s just waiting!
They’ll be coming through any day now.
Alison Pill: (Laughs) Exactly right! But yes, I loved it. There’s no plucking or retainer, but I would happily revisit that world.
We’re not getting an immediate second season of theScott Pilgrimanimation, which I imagine was an effort to get everyone to record. Would you like to be Kim again in animation or live-action, or have you closed the book onScott Pilgrim?
Alison Pill: I don’t think any of us have closed the book on Scott Pilgrim, and it’s actually much less difficult than it seems because we have had, since we shot the original film, a group e-mail chain. It was literally a matter of Edgar and Brian emailing everyone and just going like, “Hey, you guys in?” (Laughs) It’s less difficult to organize all of us because of our great love for the group. It’s less difficult than it might seem.
I don’t think it could happen in live action necessarily, though. Everybody’s Marvel-ing and whatever, or otherwise occupied. But it was such fun to record; the only bummer being that not all of us got to be in the same room at the same time. But, yeah, I love doing it. I thought it was such a weird and wonderful show. I mean, the scripts made me laugh. I was so happy that we all got to revisit everything.
It’s a bummer when people don’t get it, when people are like, “Meh.” I’m like, “Do you know how cool this was?”
Some of them got mad that the show wasn’t a direct redo of the movie. I’ve seen the movie already! I loved the way the show did its own thing.
Alison Pill: Exactly. And I think it was really satisfying for Brian, too, which just makes us all happy because he’s the best!
More About Young Werther (2024)
Young Werther Hits Theaters And Streaming On December 13
Patrick J. Adams, Douglas Booth and Alison Pill star in this romantic comedy based on the classic smash hit novel of tragic romance. While on a simple errand to Toronto, a carefree and charming young writer named Werther stumbles across the love of his life only to discover that the young woman is engaged. Despite the urgings of his hypochondriac best friend, Werther turns his world upside down in a desperate, misguided and hilarious quest to win her heart.
Check out our otherYoung Wertherinterview with:
Young Wertheris now playing in select theaters and available on Digital & On Demand.
Young Werther
Cast
Young Werther follows the story of a passionate young novelist who, while on an errand in the city, encounters Charlotte. Despite her commitment to her fiancé Albert, Werther becomes entangled in an emotional affair with Charlotte, leading to a complex triangle of emotions and evolving relationships.
