Bright Star
Bright Star was a huge success in the Cannes Film Festival and the New Zealand director Jane Campion has done a wonderful job. Campion who won the Palme d’Or award in 1993 for her film The Piano has come up with yet another masterpiece, and it seems like Campion’s stars are shining as well. Her unique approach to the film has done wonders.
This is not the usual formula film catering to the audience who just want an entertainer to unwind but is a romantic story merged with classic poetry. Yes, the mood of the film poems just flows like an eternal romantic poetry and it carries so much grace and yet so powerful.
The story is about the English Romantic poet John Keats and short-lived love affair with Fanny Brawne. The Australian actress Abbie Cornish plays the role of Fanny and Keats is played by Ben Whishaw. The story is about the strong love between Keats and Fanny, how they can’t stop from falling in love with each other- simply passionate.
The audience will almost feel as if they are experiencing that kind of strong emotion themselves. It just takes you on the joy ride of passionate love. Though Bright Star is a romantic tragedy the moments of undying love, romance and poetic brilliance is simply mesmerising.
The film is set during the Romantic age of poetry in England during the 1818 and Keats one of key romantic of this movement. Fanny stays with her widow mother and siblings in Hampstead Village. Fanny designs fashions garments, which has earned her name, fame and money.
She is a prominent figure in the social functions and also is a graceful dancer but Keats in spite of being classy young man does not prefer to dance. Keats’ friend Brown discourages him to make any move towards Fanny. And Fanny is annoyed with Brown’s possessive behavior. But eventually the romance between the two commences and before the relationship could grow any further the two are separated- Keats’ brother Tom dies of tuberculosis and later Keats succumbs to the same disease in Italy when he was only 25 years of age. The moments of pain faced by Fanny will touch the strings of your heart.
Abbie Cornish, Ben Whishaw in Bright Star
The performances are outstanding and the direction is flawless. Abbie Cornish has an amazing screen presence; with her striking beauty and acting skills Campion could not have asked for more. The chemistry between Cornish and Whishaw is magical and the way they have dealt with roles as Fanny and Keats is just remarkable. The photography and the background score also deserve applause.
Bright Star is not for audience who want to chill out on the weekend with alight –hearted comedy or who prefer to watch action/horror flick. Bright Star is about intense emotions; it is about immense love and the pain that comes along with such love. The movie is a classic love story in along time and is sure to be nominated in the Oscars. Enjoy the soul stirring love story of this year from an award-winning film maker.
| Film | Bright Star |
|---|---|
| Cast | Abbie Cornish as Fanny Brawne Ben Whishaw as John Keats Thomas Sangster as Samuel Brawne Paul Schneider as Charles Armitage Brown Samuel Barnett as Joseph Severn Kerry Fox as Mrs. Brawne Roger Ashton-Griffiths as Shop Keeper Antonia Campbell-Hughes as Abigail O’Donaghue Samuel Roukin as John Reynolds |
| Director | Jane Campion |
| Screen Writers | Jane Campion |
| Producers | Jan Chapman, Caroline Hewitt |
| Runtime | 1 Hour 59 Minutes |
| Rating | 4/5 |
Posted on Sunday, September 20th, 2009 at 11:09 am