Bright Star

UK Release: 6th November 2009

Watched on DVD: Monday 1st October 2012

Rating: PG

Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance

Runtime: 1hr 59 mins

Tagline: First Love Burns Brightest

IMDb Plot Synopsis: It's 1818 in Hampstead Village on the outskirts of London. Poet Charles Brown lives in one half of a house, the Dilkes family who live in the other half. Through their association with the Dilkes, the fatherless Brawne family know Mr. Brown. The Brawne's eldest daughter, Fanny Brawne, and Mr. Brown don't like each other. She thinks he's arrogant and rude, and he feels that she is pretentious, knowing only how to sew (admittedly well as she makes all her own fashionable clothes), flirt and give opinions on subjects about which she knows nothing. Insecure struggling poet 'John Keats' comes to live with his friend, Mr. Brown. Miss Brawne and Mr. Keats have a mutual attraction to each other, a relationship which however is slow to develop in part since Mr. Brown does whatever he can to keep the two apart. But other obstacles face the couple, including their eventual overwhelming passion for each other clouding their view of what the other does...

My Review: This has to be the most devastatingly sad film I have ever seen. Screw Titanic, this is the most heart-breaking, most hopeless film in such a horrendously beautiful way. 

I first saw in this in the cinema a few years ago (feels longer!) and I think I’ve grown and matured quite a bit since then as I really responded differently to this film and warmed to it more. The complex relationships not just between Keats and Fanny but also Mr Brown became a lot clearer to me. I never liked Mr Brown before but I think I understood him a little better and as he plays such an important role that helped me like the entire film as a whole more. 

Apart from the tender performances between Abbie Cornish and Ben Whishaw who I just adore (I can’t imagine any one else playing Keats so brilliantly as Whishaw!), it’s the atmosphere of the film that strikes the most impact. It’s that gorgeous romantic haze which was actually rather depressing and had me in tears. Have tissues at the ready and indulge in a visually stunning, wonderfully poetic film...

Score: 8/10