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.
Genre(s): Drama, Romance
Runtime: 119 minutes
Rating: 8.6/10 (212 votes)
Release Date: 15 May 2009
Country: UK, Australia, France
Languages: English
Company: Jan Chapman Pictures
Sound: Dolby Digital
MPAA: Rated PG for thematic elements, some sensuality, brief language and incidental smoking.
Director(s): Jane Campion
Related Videos for Bright Star (2009)
Thinking of watching this movie? Then click on the like button!
Producer(s):
Jan Chapman - producer
Caroline Hewitt - producer
François Ivernel - executive producer
Christine Langan - executive producer
Emma Mager - line producer
Cameron McCracken - executive producer
David M. Thompson - executive producer
Writer(s):
Jane Campion - screenplay
Cast:
Abbie Cornish - Fanny Brawne
Ben Whishaw - John Keats
Thomas Sangster - Samuel Brawne
Paul Schneider - Charles Armitage Brown
Samuel Barnett - Joseph Severn
Kerry Fox - Mrs. Brawne
Roger Ashton-Griffiths - Shop Keeper
Antonia Campbell-Hughes - Abigail O'Donaghue
Samuel Roukin - John Reynolds
Olly Alexander - Tom Keats
Music: Mark Bradshaw
Jan Chapman - producer
Caroline Hewitt - producer
François Ivernel - executive producer
Christine Langan - executive producer
Emma Mager - line producer
Cameron McCracken - executive producer
David M. Thompson - executive producer
Writer(s):
Jane Campion - screenplay
Cast:
Abbie Cornish - Fanny Brawne
Ben Whishaw - John Keats
Thomas Sangster - Samuel Brawne
Paul Schneider - Charles Armitage Brown
Samuel Barnett - Joseph Severn
Kerry Fox - Mrs. Brawne
Roger Ashton-Griffiths - Shop Keeper
Antonia Campbell-Hughes - Abigail O'Donaghue
Samuel Roukin - John Reynolds
Olly Alexander - Tom Keats
Music: Mark Bradshaw
Posted on: September 17, 2009
May 19th, 2009
I just had the pleasure of watching this at the Grand Lumiere in CannesFF.
I knew nothing of this film before I went in and it had no namesattached which enticed me, is it only me who is sick of 'starvehicles'? It was immediately obvious this film was about John Keatsthe poet and I was at first a bit perturbed that it may be just anotherBBC backed period drama with the costume department drawing the bulk ofthe production budget. However once we had got passed the Victorianfamily portrait vignetted scenes, the film took on a more deep andinvolved tone, one that focused on the blossoming of the romancebetween fanny Brawne and Keats.
Keats friend in prose, Charles Brown came over as an abrasive Scot,keen to ensure that the young girl didn't take Keats eye off of hiswork. His accent will no doubt prove a problem for some audiences.
The core of this film though must be the performance of Fanny playedadmirably by Abbie Cornish. The depth and emotion of her portrayal werenothing short of brilliant. She carried herself well but her despair atKeats various departures and her reactions to the low ebbs of hisillness were totally believable and added the desired weight to whatwould have otherwise been another frock show.
Ben Whishaw was brilliant as the frail, emaciated Keats, racked withthe tuberculosis that killed his brother and would soon take his ownlife. One thing I did think whilst watching and that was that we neverreally saw Keats working away, burning the midnight oil, scratching outhis poems, of which he wrote many in a short space of time during thelatter part of his short life. We did however see much of hisinspiration for his work and of course the title of the film is a poemsaid to be about the relationship of the night sky to his belovedFanny.
The photography was brilliant, much use of natural light and we followthe love story from it's awkward start to it's passionate, bitter andsad end. We see Keats friends rallying after the onset of his illnessand they decide to send him off to Italy where it is hoped the airmight prolong his frail life. Fanny has to endure much of this insilence since she is not properly engaged to Keats and has no real sayin his ultimate departure to Italy and is unable to support herself oraccompany him.
The relationship is played out very authentically with none of yourMills and Boon clinches or bed scenes. The most we see is a genuinecuddle in front of the fire or the odd tentative kiss. This makes thepairing seem all the more deep and inferred. The climax must be whenFanny finds out the news from Brown that Keats has died in Italy. Thetake is unusually long but really hits home and even I found myselfwiping away the odd tear as Fanny struggled for breath on the stairs.
A beautiful film documenting a little know relationship. We also seehow Keats died almost a pauper and yet went on to become probably thebest loved and celebrated of English Poets, up there with Byron andWordsworth. Yes the costumes were faultless but this film belongs tothe talents of Cornish and Whishaw as well as the masterful directionof Jane Campion.
KSE.
September 10th, 2009
With such high hopes for a film, a letdown is always lurking the depthsof your mind, but in this case, Campion far exceeded my exceptions.Never could I have predicted the deep, meticulously crafted scenes, ledso strongly by Abbie Cornish playing Fanny. The heartwrenching emotionin this movie was unlike any other; there has never been a more realportrayal of the most simplistic yet most common emotions that rule theheart. Campion went far beyond the usual "I am deeply in love; Now I amsad" and truly captured human idiosyncrasy as she delved into theillogical, irrational minds of two young and suddenly in loveindividuals. At times, it was almost too much to bear due to howintensely palpable the sadness was. To some, certain scenes or momentsmay have seemed a little longer than usual, but completely necessary isthe silence, just as much as the dialogue. This film perfectly embodiedhow a simple, real, profound story should be told.
If the above were not enough to drive this movie on, the aestheticswere nothing short of spectacular. Each stitch in Fanny's sewing was asbeautiful as each scene in a field of lavender or room flooded withbutterflies. The magnificent settings, costumes, and natural sunshinepouring into a perfectly decorated room felt not contrived, but simplylike a very real dream. As the curtains in Fanny's room got caught inthe breeze, it was as if you felt it cooling you down ever so slightlyas her content emotion overtook your mind.
Ben Whishaw, too, was superb: perfectly embodying the fragile, wondrouspoet that was John Keats, so full of tender emotion. Fanny's youngersister was another beautiful element of this film and really stole theshow in her own right with her hilarious and endearing perception oflife in general. Each character and each line spoken brought somethingso special to the story. As much witty humor as there was achingsorrow, this movie is not one to be missed.
August 7th, 2010
This is very nice………..