“3.5 Stars! An unexpected treat! Its mixture of lightness and romantic gravity has been cleverly judged. You needn't know a thing about Goethe or his works to enjoy the picture. “Young Goethe in Love" wants only to engage an audience with a capital-R Romantic ideal of Goethe's first love. It does so very well. (Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune)
"Young Goethe in Love" is A DELIGHT.... A film with BOUNDLESS ENERGY. I imagine Goethe himself, an uber-romantic, would ENJOY IT IMMENSELY.” (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times)
“Philipp Stölzl (North Face) dusts off the myth and glides between poetry and truth in his entertaining costume film. He does not fulfill some stuffy pedagogical mission, but clearly aims at a language hovering between old-fashioned and cool, with incisive dialogues, peppy music and fiery emotional outpourings. The cast is impeccable.” (BLICKPUNKT FILM)
Rarely has a German poet burst into our theaters with a cooler, manlier and sexier appeal than Alexander Fehling as the young Goethe. With lots of Sturm and Drang, director Philipp Stoelzl lets his hero fight for the woman he loves. Refreshingly witty and charming. (DER SPIEGEL)
Rousingly narrated and acted. (Sueddeutsche Zeitung)
Amazingly fresh... outstandingly acted (KulturSPIEGEL)
Light-footed, passionate … a film full of poetry (Leipziger Internet Zeitung)
Must absolutely be seen. Stoelzl makes feelings visible. He shows us how paths cross, he is direct yet aware of what is between the lines. His Goethe is so appealing that you find yourself wishing for a sequel... (Monster and Critics)
Goethe! awakens our curiosity and is a boisterous biopic for all generations (freiepresse.de)
Director Philipp Stoelzl has thoroughly dusted off a German classic. … his film is tragic and comic, combines poetry and truth, historical costumes and modern-day language into a wildly romantic adventure about the sorrows of young Goethe (CINEMA)
The early years of an engagingly confused genius. Never was Goethe cooler… the uninhibited joy of acting as well as a fresh dramaturgy give us the urge to discover the protected monument and patron saint of German literature anew. (Programmkino.de)
