| LFF Review - Bright Star | |
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One of the problems of being one of the best female directors in the world is that all you’re work will be closely scrutinized by audiences and especially critics and after you have won an Oscar a lot is expected of you. So Jane Campion’s new film about the poet John Keats and his love of Fanny Brawne, his next door neighbour which is showing at this years London Film Festival comes with great expectations! Using the title of the poem he wrote for his 18 year old love Campion has crafted something not only beautiful to look at but a story that throws light on Keats one true love affair and contains performances from its two leads that will no doubt attract awards attention next year. Ben Whishaw plays John Keats a man who is rich in talent but poor in pocket who has to spend most of his money caring for a sick younger brother and is forced to live with his best friend and fellow poet Mr. Brown (Paul Schneider) to save cash. Brown is loud, brash and uncouth and delights in upsetting his neighbour Mrs. Brawne’s daughters (Kerry Fox). Fanny (Abbie Cornish) is the youngest and is unimpressed by Brown’s behaviour and in fact by literature in general until her eye catches Keats and she slowly falls for him. Wanting to get more involved in his life she sets out to bring his ill brother food and as Keats is touched by Fanny’s offer of help and astounded by her ethereal beauty he agrees to teach her about poetry. They soon fall in love but have to conduct their romance in secret as Keats has nothing to offer Fanny in money or estates but before her mother and Brown can stop them they are completely absorbed in each other and head over heals in love. What follows is a stunning romance that will affect them both and all around them. Period dramas all unfortunately fall under the idea that they will possibly be pretentious and probably about the middle classes so a large amount of people will dismiss them straight away. What has been created here is something that takes the well known love affair about one of our greatest poets and crafts it into a beautiful mediation on love and loss that just happens to have a period setting. Campion’s script is intelligent, well researched and presented and avoids cliché and stereotypes so that you actually feel for the characters and find their actions wholly believable. But it is the central performances from Whishaw and Cornish that make it come alive as their on screen chemistry crackles and creates a real sense of palpable emotion in the film that hooks you early on and keeps you interested in their lives. This makes this a must see film in itself but with an added stunning soundtrack composed by Mark Bradshaw that complements the beautiful cinematography from Grieg Fraser this is a film that will enrapture those willing to lose themselves in Keats verse and his short but bright life. Overall this is a strong contender come awards season and is well worth checking at the festival and on its release in November. A bright four stars indeed! Rating: **** Starring Abbie Cornish, Ben Whishaw, Paul Schneider & Kerry Fox Review by Mark Cappuccio For your chance to see this film and the latest releases check out the official London Film Festival site: http://www.bfi.org.uk/lff/  LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 19: (L-R) Director Jane Campion, Producers Jan Chapman, Caroline Hewitt, Ben Whishaw, Edie Martin, Antonia Campbell-Hughes, Samuel Roukin and composer Mark Bradshaw pose on stage after arrivals for the premiere of 'Bright Star' during the Times BFI 53rd London Film Festival at the Odeon Leicester Square on October 19, 2009 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images)
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Ben Wishaw and Abbie Cornish star in Jane Campion's intelligent, beautiful story of the passionate love between poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne.
