Review of Were the World Mine (2008) by Mareen K — 20 Jun 2010

"Were the World Mine" took me by surprise. Transforming Shakespeare is like playing with fire--you'll either burn the town down or put on one hell of a show. At times this film steps into the woeful side, but overall it really delivers a wonderful 90 minute ride.

Tanner Cohen plays a bullied queer in an all-male school, and he must take on the role of Puck in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" as required by his drama teacher (Wendy Robie). Cohen dazzles the most when he's singing, which is never enough. He knows how to deliver a song more than he does lines, but he fairs quite well all around.

And this is where the movie runs into its major issue: Am I a musical or not? It really needs to be because all of the original music is captivating and interestingly composed. But they are so far and few between, and you wonder when one will come again. The best piece is the title song. You finally have Cohen's character enacting his plot to have his crush fall for him. But it seemed to take ages to get to this part.

That brings me to the next problem: the pacing. It could use a little reworking, because main themes of the story get garbled along the way. The script is a strong one, but a fine-tooth comb and some more musical numbers would have perfect it.

Those technical issues aside, "Were the World Mine" has a lot of heart. I found myself getting misty-eye at the end even though I knew what was coming. You really can and should lose yourself in it, and that's what creating films is all about. It's not your typical coming out story, and the whole cast will win you over with their charm and eager performances.