Bright Star (2009)
By: Jane Campion (director, screenplay)
Starring: Ben Whishaw, Abbie Cornish, Kerry Fox, Paul Schneider
The drama based on the three-year romance between 19th century poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne, which was cut short by Keats’ untimely death at age 25.
If you’ve been following my reviews much at all, you’re likely familiar with the fact that I’m a sucker for period films. As it happens, I am also a sucker for Ben Whishaw, so you’d think that Bright Star and I would be a match made in heaven.
The film is technically good; I’m not going to deny that. There’s a certain ethereal wistfulness to it that practically flows out of the screen and spills all over you. It is permeated with the desperate, yearning first flush of romance. The trouble is, that’s really all it is, and for someone like myself, that’s not quite enough.
The actors are glorious, it’s well-shot and well-directed. A beauty to look at, and the story is worth telling. However, I personally run in a more pragmatic direction, and I found the sheer tragic longing of it all to be a little trying. I feel like I must be some sort of harridan to think so, but I kind of wanted to slap Keats and Fanny both and tell them to put on their big girl panties. If you’re into histrionics in your romance, you’ll like it. If you’re a more practical sort, it will probably drive you nuts.
A) We keep agreeing on stuff! B) I am indeed practical and so all their obnoxious and wistful longing made me want to punch both of them in the face.
When I was writing this up, I was so hoping you’d seen this one, because I just KNEW you’d agree with me.
I really hated this movie. Like you, I wanted to punch them both really hard. it made me mad that all I got from it was pretty dresses and photography. I wanted more.