Bright Star

When a poet writes of love, he may write of a past injury, or a love lost, he may write of a current passion, where his muse inspires him to lusty verse, or he may be inspired by a chaste love, someone unobtainable, where an imagined union fills the mind with longing and desire. Bright Star centers on the relationship between English poet John Keats (Ben Whishaw) and his romance with Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish). Keats, who was restricted from marriage due to lack of funds, falls for the young Fanny. With no prospects of marriage, their relationship is discouraged. But their attachment grows and they fall deeply in love.

Bright Star demonstrates how the social conventions of the time may keep a couple apart physically, while forcing them to explore their love on a spiritual and intellectual plane. Through letters, notes and supervised walks, John and Fanny developed a deep love affair that according to the film was never consummated. Bright Star is a beautiful film, as poetic as the subject matter itself. It gives us a peek into the soul of a poet and the woman who both fascinated and frustrated him. My only frustration with the film is that I constantly wanted to pause it to look up a name or read one of Keats’ poems. This film feeds the soul and inspires a thirst for knowledge. This is a tremendous legacy for a film, or an author. What a wonderful contribution to cinema and literature.

Rating: First Run Poetic cinema