“A poem needs understanding through the senses. The point of diving into a lake is not immediately to swim to the shore but to be in the lake, to luxuriate in the sensation of water. You do not work the lake out, it is a experience beyond thought. Poetry soothes and emboldens the soul to accept the mystery.”
-John Keats
Bright Star promotional poster
Caption: First Love Burns Brightest.
Starring: Abbie Cornish, Ben Whishaw, Paul Schneider, Kerry Fox
Summary: 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.
What I Liked: Abbie Cornish was absolutely amazing in her portrayal of Fanny Brawne – her talent was especially striking in the more emotionally heavy scenes of the movie. I was amazed at the chemistry that existed between both Ben and Abbie – I felt absolutely sucked into their romance. I found myself willing a happy ending for the two of them, even though you know full well that there will be none. I also enjoyed the random bursts of Keats’ poetry, especially since Ben Whishaw did such a wonderful job of reciting them. The film was also stunning on a visual level.
What I disliked: I know that the film was nominated for the Oscar for best costumes, but I just really loathed the costumes that Fanny was wearing most of the time – I found that they made her look quite frumpy and large. I liked the costumes that the men and some of the other women were wearing, but I just felt that everything that 75% of the costumes that Abbie wore looked terrible on her. I don’t think it was the costumes themselves that I disliked, but just the way that they fit Abbie’s figure. I also found the scene after Brown sends Fanny the mock-Valentine a little awkward.
My favorite moment: I loved the scene where Fanny and John are walking with Margaret, and are holding hands and kissing everytime she would turn around. Such a sweet moment. The scene where Mrs. Brawne takes his hand and tells him to come back and marry “their Fanny” really tugged at my heartstrings. As well as when Keats tells Fanny to pretend that he is really going to come back home alive from Rome, and they begin to talk about this make-believe life that they would have if he was healthy, all the while knowing that this is the last night that they will ever spend with each other.
Lasting Impressions: I actually just finished studying Keats in my English/poetry class that I have this semester. My teacher mentioned a couple of times that Keats was in love with Fanny Brawne while writing some of the odes we were studying, but I was never aware of this grand love story that has apparently been made available to the world through Keats’ letters to Fanny that she passed on to her children. I thought that his love for Fanny Brawne was unrequited, like most poets we studied; seeing this movie actually gave me a whole new level of appreciation for his poetry. Hearing Ode to a Nightingale recited so beautifully instead of reading it off of a sheet made me fall in love with the poem. I think I’m going to go and find a cheap copy of Keats’ poems off of eBay now to read them. He really is an amazing poet.
Rating: 9/10
Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art —
Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night
And watching, with eternal lids apart,
Like Nature’s patient, sleepless Eremite,
The moving waters at their priestlike task
Of pure ablution round earth’s human shores,
Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the moors —
No — yet still stedfast, still unchangeable,
Pillow’d upon my fair love’s ripening breast,
To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,
Awake for ever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,
And so live ever — or else swoon to death.
Such a visually stunning movie. I agree with you about Fanny’s costumes though, they didn’t fit Abbie’s figure very well and I loved the scenes you mentioned, as well. I actually kind of liked the scene you found awkward, but I think I liked it for that reason.
Bright Star! ♥ This is, no lies, one of my favourite movies. I can find zero fault in it.
The fact that I haven’t seen this movie makes me feel like an alien, hehe.
I’m sure I’m going to like it, I get the impression it matches my taste.
I’m sure you’ll definitely like it! I found it slow in the beginning, but it picks up rather quickly. It really is amazing.