Goethe! 2010

A.O. Scott, New York Times: Mr. Fehling, tumbling from puppy dog eagerness into weepy, inky self-pity, never quite rises to the requirements of the role, which may be hopelessly incoherent in any case. Read more

David Fear, Time Out: What was an irreverent look at genius becomes just another irrelevant biopic. Read more

John Anderson, Wall Street Journal: It's ... unworthy of Mr. Stolzl, who amid all the facile antics does manage to show his directorial mettle, if only in a single and critical scene... Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: Pain plus time, this film reminds us, can result in poetry. Read more

Keith Phipps, AV Club: Whatever its basis in fact, there's nothing to Young Goethe In Love's story that dozens of other films haven't done before, and better. Read more

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: The story of a talented but not yet mature young man who stumbles upon the topic that would lead to his fame: love, and the loss of it. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: What was Sturm and Drang then veers close to camp and kitsch now. Read more

Ben Sachs, Chicago Reader: Like a porcelain dish commemorating a famous person, this biopic has little to teach us about the great German writer but sure makes him look adorable. Read more

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: You needn't know a thing about Goethe or his works to enjoy the picture. Read more

Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor: Turns one of the greatest geniuses of German literature into a love-struck rapscallion. Read more

John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter: Highbrow pedigree is mostly window dressing for a commercial period romance about Germany's literary giant. Read more

Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: It drowns in swoony cliches. Read more

Stanley Kauffmann, The New Republic: Stylistically, the most engaging aspect of the picture is Stolzl's direction. Read more

Jeannette Catsoulis, NPR: Charming in a way that American romantic comedies have all but forgotten, Young Goethe in Love is by turns cute, campy and endearingly cliched. Read more

V.A. Musetto, New York Post: "Young Goethe" looks great, and the cast is appealing. But the story is riddled with cliches and fabrications, like a duel between Lotte's two suitors. Read more

Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: More diverting than it is deep... Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: "Young Goethe in Love" is a delight on its own terms, even if it has little to do with the real Goethe; here is a randy young man not a million miles apart from Tom Jones. Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: We get a classic situation, but no less potent for its being familiar. As always, the personalities make or break it, and here they make it. Read more

Calvin Wilson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: An old-fashioned romance that's easy to like even if you have no interest in German literature, illegal duels or the more romantic aspects of committing suicide. Read more

Boyd van Hoeij, Variety: Well plotted and impressively mounted. Read more

Melissa Anderson, Village Voice: That this film was originally titled Goethe! should give you a sense of how much silly Sturm und Drang boosterism awaits. Read more