Bright Star

Directed by:  Jane Campion Cast: Abbie Cornish, Ben Whishaw, Paul Schneider Running Time: 2 hrs Rating: PG Release Date: September 25, 2009

PLOT: Romantic poet John Keats (Whishaw) meets and falls in love with Fanny Brawne (Cornish).  But their love comes under fire from friends and family concerned about their disparity in wealth.

WHO'S IT FOR? You don't have to be a fan of poetry to enjoy this film.  But you should enjoy well written, well acted dramas.

EXPECTATIONS: Advance word has been very positive.  I always look forward to Campion films.

SCORECARD (0-10)

ACTORS:

Abbie Cornish as Fanny Brawne:  Aussie Cornish has been acquiring critical raves over the last few years for films like Candy and  Stop-Loss.  In Bright Star she plays a fashion obsessed young woman with strong opinions.  But when she meets Keats she finds an immense capacity for love.  The development of the romance between Fanny and Keats is one of the most naturalistic I've seen on film.  Their romance is chaste, by modern standards, but it's erotically charged.  The lovers don't meet cute and mince about like in some period films, this couple is direct about their feelings.  Cornish plays a likable Brawne, I wouldn't be surprised if she's nominated for an Oscar this year. Score:  10

Ben Whishaw as John Keats:  Whishaw looks precisely what I'd expect a romantic poet to look like.  Curly disheveled hair, pale skin, a dreamy stare, he's set.  But despite the delicate looks, he plays Keats as a man of substance.  Though poor, he's aware of the bargain he has made, by becoming a poet he can't afford to marry.  Whishaw's Keats falls in love with Fanny despite himself but is determined not to take advantage of her emotions.  I could not only see why Fanny loved him, but I felt he deserved her love. Score:  9

Paul Schneider as Charles Brown:  Brown is an odd third prong in this love affair.  A devoted friend to Keats, he loves and admires the man and seems to be the one person who understand what a genius he is.  But he's also concerned that Keats could give up his writing in order to marry Fanny.  He seems to have a strange contentious relationship with Fanny.  He seems attracted to her, but she shows no interest him.  Though he is a good friend to Keats, I'm pretty sure he was also jealous of their relationship.  Schneider adds a hint of pathos to the realationship that enhances the film. Score:  9

TALKING: The dialogue feels contemporary, and the poetry is used sparingly but read very well.  It feels natural.  I also have to give shout outs to American Schneider's Scottish accent and Aussie Cornish's British accent. Score:  8

SIGHTS: Campion uses restraint in her camera work, you won't get see any shaky cameras here.  But she is willing to get up close and personal when appropriate.  I also liked her use of natural lighting.  It's both beautiful and era appropriate. Score:  9

SOUNDS: A lot of great sound effects.  There's spare usage of classical music that works and is used fairly subtle. Score:  8

PLOT SPOILERS

BEST SCENE: I loved the scene when Keats, Brown and Fanny meet and hash out their relationship.  The characters are direct without being didactic.  It was just a really passionate moment.

ENDING: I knew how it would end, but the film played out in a way that was tragic but also kind of beautiful.

QUESTIONS: Why doesn't Jane Campion make more films?  How could this film be ignored come Oscar time?

REWATCHABILITY: High.  I'm sure I'll buy it when it comes out on DVD.

OVERALL

I'll admit it, as a high school English student I fell in love with Keats a little bit.  A handsome poet who dies tragically young?  That is literate teen girl bait if ever I saw it.  But Campion's story takes a legendary love affair and makes it real.  Fanny and Keats are two people who fall in love and try to make a go of it despite lack of money, support from family and health.  Campion coaxes amazing performances from her actors, she's just one of the best directors of her generation.  She's also great with the children in this film, she uses them as actors, not window dressing.  Campion crafts a well-told, well written story.  She really fits the definition of an auteur.

FINAL SCORE: 9/10