Bright Star Review

Posted by Chad Webb on 09.30.2009

A movie that reminds younger viewers about the lost art of letter writing.

Abbie Cornish: Fanny Brawne
Ben Wishaw: John Keats
John Schneider: Charles Armitage Brown
Thomas Sangster: Samuel Brawne
Kerry Fox: Mrs. Brawne
Samuel Barnett: Joseph Severn
Written and Directed By: Jane Campion
Release Date: September 16, 2009
Running Time: 119 minutes







Rated PG for thematic elements, some sensuality, brief language and incidental smoking.

John Keats died on February 23rd, 1821 at the age of 26. Today he is regarded as one of the greatest of the Romantic poets, but in 1821, he was deemed a failure. His life was filled with death as his mother and brother both died of tuberculosis, a disease that would soon claim him. But from 1818 to 1820, Keats lived next to Fanny Brawne, and the two fell in love. Jane Campion is the director of Bright Star, the film that chronicles Keats' time with Fanny. Her account of the events is quite careful and straightforward, perhaps too much so, but despite that, she manages to exhibit how talented Keats was, how unfortunately short his life was, and how profound his feelings for Fanny were in one extremely fulfilling biopic.

Bright Star is a biopic in the same sense that Walk the Line was. They certainly focused on the lives of Keats and Johnny Cash, but the narrative structure relied on the love story to engage viewers and propel the story forward. This is not necessarily a flaw, just an observation. Jane Campion can be a difficult filmmaker to gauge, but when she has her game face on, everyone pays attention. Bright Star accentuates her strengths in a more cohesive and fluid manner because it is more in tune with An Angel at My Table, her finest effort to date. Previous features of hers like In the Cut and The Piano, where she is trying to turn water into wine with excessive vigor, are harder to approach and easier to criticize.

Ben Wishaw plays John Keats as a skinny, almost sickly young man, with scraggly hair and a limited wardrobe. This fits, since Keats was very poor, and since his family was plagued by infection and illness. He mentions to Fanny that he doesn't dance much, and it would appear that he doesn't eat much either. Keats is a dreamer and a genius with low self-esteem. His affection for Fanny, despite being confined to kisses and loving embraces, inspires him to write many poems which would go on to craft his reputation. Campion and Wishaw understand precisely how to display a man who sits around thinking and writing, writing and thinking. In one glorious sequence, Keats climbs to the top of a tree, and lays on the highest branches staring out into the sky as he recites his poetry in a voice-over.

The decision to incorporate his poems through voice-overs was wise. Not only does it add to Wishaw's low-key performance, but Campion keeps reminding the audience what Keats offered to the world through his words. Ben Wishaw is an actor known for his flamboyance, his ability to be expressive based on his hand motions, or method of walking. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer and Brideshead Revisited showcase his affinity for commanding a room. In Bright Star, similar to his supporting role in I'm Not There, Wishaw elects for the opposite attitude. He does a lot of sitting around, but Wishaw refrains from turning Keats into a depressive wallowing in his own self-pity, or an overly confident and pompous schmuck. He locates the right balance, and conveys enough to conviction to prove how someone like Fanny might be drawn to him.

As understated and wonderful as Ben Wishaw is, Abbie Cornish owns Bright Star as Fanny Brawne. She is entrancing as this young girl that has fallen head over heels for an out of work poet. Cornish transmits a dazzling glare that lights and glows in each scene. Although The Young Victoria will more than likely win the Oscar statue for costuming, a case can definitely be made for Janet Patterson (nominated for 2 Oscars under Campion), who affords Cornish with some truly fabulous designs. I am not a fashion expert, but the vivid and colorful choices augment Cornish's presence. Fanny is knocked so silly by this lovebug that her brother and sister, both significantly younger than she, act in a monitoring capacity when she can't stop fantasizing about her beloved John. Cornish's lack of artificiality is refreshingly authentic.

Together, Wishaw and Cornish see fireworks, while to the audience, it is sparks. The chemistry between them is tangible and believable without even one sex scene. Fanny and John never strip and do the nasty, but it is a testament to the work of the leads that their on screen love looks, feels, and sounds so passionate. As Fanny soaks in John's beautiful verses, she responds appropriately, as if the line was as natural as possible. They connect and click impeccably, but one man tries to prevent that. Charles Armitage Brown was one of Keats' best friends, but he did not care for Fanny, or her hold over John. In reality, Brown was incredibly loyal to Keats, nursed him through his illness, handled his affairs, and saved his discarded poems. Splashes of this are seen, but John Schneider depicts Brown as basically the devil incarnate. He is the robust bearded villain stepping between the triumph of the romance. He is effective, but some more cherished moments of Charles Armitage Brown and Keats, other than those where they sit at a desk, would have expanded upon their evidently deep bond.

Bright Star is certainly an attractive picture. Cinematographer Greig Frasier captures the exquisiteness of Hampstead Heath, the home of Fanny and her family, while the decorators compliment his eloquence. Many scenes take place in Fanny’s room where the sun rays beam through with a piercing determination, or outside where the tall grass and flowers engulf the characters with splendor. Campion actually includes a sequence where Fanny's brother and sister catch butterflies. They are then let loose in the house where they flutter around gracefully. This was so gorgeous to behold it made me want to run out and catch butterflies. While this is not nearly as murky or grungy as The Piano, Campion does not shy away from the austere and dirty atmosphere of the city either. This is not just a rehearsed costume drama. The whole package is wrapped thoughtfully and with truthfulness.

Campion does not take many chances with Bright Star. The story is familiar, and one can see where the by the numbers path leads. It is told in the sort of uncomplicated and basic fashion that can only succeed to a particular level. The question remains as to where this tale’s sight lies. Is this strictly about John Keats? Is this about the love that existed between Fanny and John? Does this follow John Keats through the eyes of Fanny? The answer could be one of those, or multiple. These are grey areas that Campion leaves for the viewer to decide. Her film is well constructed in hopes that these questions are dodged.

The love Fanny and John shared was real, but the situation was more of a problem than it was a comfort. Keats requested on his deathbed that each letter between them be destroyed. The letters that did surface were from Fanny to Keats’ sister. This may seem rather odd considering Bright Star’s plot, but Campion's ultimate message is that the courtship was as much a disaster as it was a blessing. Still, it is hard to argue that Keats was not moved at one point or another by Fanny. The poem that the title stems from (and the time it was written) expresses in a fairly clear manner that he was in love with someone. One his most famous lines is “A thing of beauty is a joy for ever.” This film is a thing of beauty, but whether or not it is a joy forever is another matter entirely.

The 411: Bright Star was written and directed by Jane Campion in a very cautious and straightforward manner. It is destined for Oscar nominations, but had the number not been increased to 10, I’m not sure it would have had the same chances at making the cut. It also carries a PG rating, which means every literature teacher will want to use it in class during their discussions of the Romantic poets. This is a movie for people that appreciate period dramas without much inventiveness. It is also very accessible for people that might not have adored Jane Campion before this. The acting is top notch, and is sure to receive attention, and the film is quite beautiful to look at. Although it is far from flawless, it is well worth seeing.

Final Score:  8.0   [ Very Good ]