critics consensus

Charming, endearing, and a little clunky, Were the World Mine is an entertaining, if somewhat unnecessary, musical adaptation. Read critic reviews

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Were the World Mine Photos

Nathaniel David Becker as Jonathon (front), Parker Croft, Brad Bukauskas, Aaron Golden in "Were the World Mine."

Nathaniel David Becker as Jonathon (front), Brad Bukauskas, Reid Dawson, Parker Croft in "Were the World Mine."

Nathaniel David Becker as Jonathon in "Were the World Mine."

Cast members Nathaniel David Becker, Brad Bukauskas, Alexander Aguilar, Parker Croft, Waymon Arnette in "Were the World Mine."

Tanner Cohen as Timothy and Nathaniel David Becker as Jonathon in "Were the World Mine."

Tanner Cohen as Timothy in "Were the World Mine."

View All Photos (16)

Movie Info

A gay teen (Tanner Cohen) uses a love potion to turn close-minded townspeople into homosexuals, including the handsome jock with whom he is secretly in love.

Genre:

musical, fantasy, comedy
Original Language:

English
Director:

Tom Gustafson
Producer:

Tom Gustafson, Cory James Krueckeberg, Peter Sterling
Writer:

Tom Gustafson, Cory James Krueckeberg
Release Date (Theaters):

Nov 21, 2008 limited
Release Date (Streaming):

Sep 19, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA):

$103.1K
Runtime:

1h 36m

Cast & Crew

Tanner Cohen
Timothy

Nathaniel David Becker
Jonathon

Wendy Robie
Ms. Tebbit

Judy McLane
Donna

Zelda Williams
Frankie

Christian Stolte
Coach Driskill

Show all Cast & Crew

Critic Reviews for Were the World Mine

All Critics (24) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (17) | Rotten (7)

Quote not available.

November 18, 2011 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Anna King
Time Out
Were the World Mine gets by on sheer charm -- and on Gustafson's inventive direction, Kira Kelly's elegant cinematography and co-screenwriter Cory James Krueckeberg's whimsical production design, which works wonders on a limited budget.

January 29, 2009 | Rating: 3/4

Moira MacDonald
Seattle Times
Were the World Mine is seriously uneven. If it displays considerable imagination and creativity, it also lapses too often into smug, campy silliness.

December 12, 2008 | Rating: 2.5/5 | Full Review…

Kevin Thomas
Los Angeles Times
Editorial Review Writer-producer-director Tom Gustafson's musical fantasy Were the World Mine, based on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, is mostly delightful.

December 12, 2008 | Full Review…

Mike Mayo
Washington Post
A diverting Chicago-made export, director and co-writer Tom Gustafson's gay fantasia on Shakespearean themes is set in a socially stratified private school ruled by the rugby jocks but about to be sent into a tizzy thanks to the magic of Shakespeare.

December 12, 2008 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…

Michael Phillips
Chicago Tribune
There are times when it is safe to say that a labor of love is love's labor lost, and, reader, this is one of them.

December 5, 2008 | Rating: 1.5/4 | Full Review…

Ty Burr
Boston Globe
It's a Very Special Episode, not a Shakespearean comedy.

August 14, 2020 | Full Review…

Eve Tushnet
Patheos
What could have been a charming and original endeavor becomes tacky and silly.

May 16, 2009 | Rating: 1.5/5

Phil Hall
Film Threat
The songs are bright and beautifully sung, the cast's naturalism works against the surreality of the concept, and ultimately, the pieces fit together like a dream.

February 13, 2009 | Rating: 3/4

Chris Hewitt
St. Paul Pioneer Press
All teen comedies would be this divine were the world Gustafson's.

February 13, 2009 | Rating: 4/4 | Full Review…

Phil Villarreal
Arizona Daily Star
Were the World Mine is a charming picture with a very simple message: be who you are, let others be who they are, and we can all be happy. In fact, we might even be fabulous.

February 9, 2009 | Rating: 7/10 | Full Review…

Sarah Boslaugh
Playback:stl
Were the World Mine is an independent film that succeeds through the excellent work of a cast and crew whose imagination compensates for budgetary constraints.

January 29, 2009 | Rating: B- | Full Review…

Bill White
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

View All Critic Reviews (24)

Audience Reviews for Were the World Mine

May 21, 2012

First of all, this is a really clever film, why wouldn't someone try to make a love potion? This is one of the sweetest independent film I've seen, the numbers were really good, sung by talented cast. Secondly, the acting by Wendy Robie saved the entire film, without her this would be another cheap looking film, but she really proved her acting ability. The gay guys couldn't act straight, that's I am saying. I am sure we've all learnt something today. Clap your hands if we'd be friends.

Sylvester K Super Reviewer
Feb 17, 2011

A production of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Nights Dream" wakes a town from their prejudices! Tanner Cohen performs outstandingly! Too bad there is too much "art" for the closed-minded conservatives that would learn and benefit from this movie most! lol Fun movie!

Thomas J Super Reviewer
Sep 25, 2009

Kinda reminded me of a gayer version of A Dirty Shame but a little smarter and more enjoyable.

Sunil J Super Reviewer
Sep 02, 2009

The lead guy (I forgot to check his name) is an excellent protagonist, very talented actor, and it's also fantastic to see Wendy Robie (without her eye-patch), the songs are good and its a very creative movie; I just hate how they have to make it look like the guy and his mother moved to the only town where no one has ever seen a gay guy because, of course, being a movie with a gay theme they have to treat like it was some Very Special Episode where everyone reacts to the news dramatically and then comes to terms with it by the end. I really hate that.

Quinto W Super Reviewer