'Young Werther' Reviews: "If you’re looking for a familiar story that features elements of early 2000s rom-coms, including fun loving best friends and awkward sexual tension in a love triangle, you’ll be pleased with this film"

         On December 13, 2024, Lionsgate releases 'Young Werther', which has received a mixed reception from critics. "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." But what did the critics say?

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

        Justin Bower of Loud and Clear Reviews says, "It’s also loads of fun. If you’re looking for a familiar story that features elements of early 2000s rom-coms, including fun loving best friends and awkward sexual tension in a love triangle, you’ll be pleased with this film. While it offers some hilarious jokes and a somewhat intriguing storyline, it’s nothing revolutionary. The acting, led strongly by Booth and Pill and supported by Adams, is the best part of Young Werther. Not only is Werther and Charlotte’s chemistry believable, but the cast as a whole works perfectly together. This salvages an oddly paced story that attempts to cover too much ground in a short runtime. Young Werther’s script is well written. I usually detest expositional dialogue, but it is utilized in a clever way to clarify character backstories and interests. Other big moments, such as Werther’s inevitable proclamation of love for Charlotte, are sentimental and avoid being cringeworthy. There are plenty of heartstopping moments throughout; the ending is surprising, the most original portion of the film. Romantic bliss can only go so far, and the conflict at the heart of Werther and Charlotte’s relationship eventually surfaces. Arriving at the end, however, is a journey writer-director José Lourenço seemed reluctant to embark upon. Long, dialogue-heavy scenes are interrupted by montages over catchy songs to fill in the gaps of lost plot progress. While I think no rom-com is complete without a good montage, Young Werther overuses them, resulting in a disjointed experience overall."

       Bill Chambers of Film Freak Central notes, "Pill has received some of the best reviews of her career as the winsome Charlotte, but it’s a blessing and a curse that the character’s chapter-skipped youth resonates with how Pill went straight from playing students to teachers in the popular imagination because no one in the past 20 years had the insight to make her the romantic lead. She’s in her element here, but she’s undoubtedly a bit long in the tooth for Charlotte, and styled so rigidly it’s as though one hair out of place will cause the decades to instantly catch up with her. It reduces her to a cartoon character, and one of those is already enough for the remarkably thin Young Werther, a movie that confuses the novel’s gravitas with its renown. Instead of writing a roman à clef about his chaste affair with Charlotte, The Sorrows of Young Walter, and sending her a copy, Werther may as well have texted her; that “sorrows” lands with all the heft of “[sadface emoji], lol.”

'Trap' Reviews: "destined to divide audiences as it may be, this is one summertime "Trap" (mostly) worth springing"

         On August 2, 2024, Warner Bros. Pictures released the latest film from horror icon M. Night Shyamalan, 'Trap', which has received predominantly positive reviews from critics. In the film, a father and daughter duo attend a popular pop concert, which they soon realize is a dangerous and dark event. The ensemble cast includes Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Seleka Shyamalan, Alison Pill, and Hayley Mills. But what did the critics say?

        Peter Gray of The AU Review writes, "Shyamalan’s script delights in, as we slowly see him come undone when he realises the extent of the police presence in the stadium; Shyamalan’s own daughter, Saleka Shyamalan, contributing over a dozen songs to the soundtrack as Trap‘s in-film popstar, Lady Raven.  Watching Hartnett flip between goofy, embarrassing father figure and concerned serial killer is a real treat, and he certainly does his best to evade the authorities by leaning into his caring dad routine, but the film ultimately starts to have an air of cycle, rinse, repeat to it as we follow Cooper throughout the stadium, all the while his daughter watching on, her concern increasing." Adding, "A bit more of a straight-forward telling from the usual twist-heavy creator, Trap hits notes both on pitch and off-key in equal measure.  A tighter pace and a clearer vision could have truly elevated this Hitchcockian-like thriller, but, ultimately, it’s one set up that doesn’t quite snare the intended interest.  It’s always a treat to see Hartnett on screen though, but his unnerving wickedness deserves a tale more committed to the darkness he so clearly enjoys channelling."

Photo by Jeremy Yap on Unsplash

        Graeme Tuckett of Stuff.co.nz was less impressed, stating, "The mystery of Trap – as with a lot of films on Shyamalan's CV – is this: How does such a good film-maker, make so many terrible films?"

        Jeremy Mathai of Slashfilm says, "Messy and destined to divide audiences as it may be, this is one summertime "Trap" (mostly) worth springing." Continuing, "Trap" is many things at once: a cleverly-constructed thriller centered on the unlikeliest of protagonists, a darkly comedic lark that's much sillier (complimentary) than many will expect, and a twisty genre film verging on B-movie/exploitation territory. It's also a high-concept premise that runs out of steam awfully early, accompanied by a script that's much less involving by the end than it is to start — a delineation marked by a plot point far too specific to spoil, but one that feels unmistakable in the moment as all the air is let out of the room. Above all else, however, it's another deliciously complicated addition to a filmography that simply refuses to fit into any neat and tidy boxes."

        Rodrigo Perez of The Playlist was more impressed, stating, "Subverting the genre with an audacious, unexpected structure, M Night. Shyamalan’s “Trap” takes a tonal turn, and evolves into something much darker and more disturbing." Continuing, "No spoilers from there, but as suggested, “The Trap” shapeshifts, and the drama slithers ominously shedding its skin, becoming a brand-new creature on its own and a true-anxiety-riddled rollercoaster at that. This final act may feel a little incredulous, in spots, but it succeeds nonetheless in how emotional, psychologically dark and threatening the film becomes. Suffice it to say “The Trap” is hard to review beyond the mid-point, but that’s ok, the less you know, the better (Kid Cudi does have a small cameo near the end of the second act at a diva pop star which is a nice moment of much-needed comedic relief)."