CINEMA: Bright Star

Nov 22, 2009

Written by: Dee Pilgrim

Director Jane Campion proved she’s a dab hand at period drama with The Piano.

And although Bright Star captures the feel and social mores of Hampstead in the 1820s exceptionally well, and features a luminous central performance from young Abbie Cornish, it also lacks the rich texture and detailed plotting of its predecessor.

To a certain extent this is not Jane Campion’s fault but rather the fact the source material deals with one love affair that burned brightly but lasted just two years. Also, the featured lovers, doomed poet John Keats (Ben Wishaw) and the girl next door who stole his heart, Fanny Brawne (Cornish), were very young (he 23 and she just 18) and not especially worldy-wise, so although you never doubt the depth of their feelings for each other there is not the complexity or range of emotions found in a more mature couple.

However, the characters around them do offer some very entertaining distraction, especially Paul Schneider who plays Keats’ larger than life bosom buddy Mr Brown, and Antonia Campbell-Hughes as the maid he impregnates. But the biggest distraction is the way the film looks; shot on location in Bedfordshire in England the countryside is so lush and verdant it could have been taken straight from a Constable painting.

Author: Dee Pilgrim

Dee always knew she wanted to make her living from writing and so trained as a journalist before working for a variety of music and women’s titles including Sounds, Company, Cosmopolitan, Ms London, New Woman, and Girl About Town. After going freelance she concentrated on celebrity interviews and film, theatre, music and restaurant reviews. Her love of film goes back to her very first cinema experience at the age of five when her mother took her to see Bambi. She cried. At one time she was the Film Editor for NOW magazine and also the secretary for the film section of the Critics’ Circle and the celebrity coordinator for its annual film awards’ event. She has written a number of books for teenagers through Trotman Publishing, including five Real Life Guides to vocational careers (including Carpentry, Plumbing and Catering), and also three books on Real Life Issues (Money, Bereavement and Self Harm). Her favourite film is still Bladerunner.