Review of Bright Star

John Keats (Ben Whishaw) is a struggling poet who rents some rooms with another writer, Charles Armitage Brown (Paul Schneider) in the Hampstead Hills section of London. Next door is a beautiful young adult lady, Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish), her mother and her younger siblings, boy and girl. Fanny excels at sewing and embroidery, designing her own costumes but she has little appreciation for fine writing. Mr. Brown is an obnoxious, quixotic man who sometimes makes "passes" at Fanny, much to her disgust. But, John is another matter. Despite her failures at understanding his talent, she is drawn to his sensitive, kind nature. Alas, however, there is little hope for any attachments, for Fanny's family is on the wealthier side and her mother will not approve of an engagement to a penniless man. As Keats struggles to make a name for himself that might improve his chances, the two young lovers continue a tentative, chaste relationship. Will they be able to marry? This is a lovely story with many strong elements. One of the strongest is the script, for Jane Campion's screenplay is touching and elegantly worded. Fine, too, are the performances of the cast, for Whishaw, Cornish, and especially Schneider, an American, shine brightly, as do all of the lesser players. But, the costumes are alternately hideous and charming and the direction is flat and tedious, at times. Most importantly, the absence of a musical score lessens the film's overall impact, although some will dispute this. It is obvious that Campion, who does include singers and dancing music, when appropriate, was emphasizing the dialogue and felt any background music would interfere with the power of the tale itself. Nevertheless, this viewer feels that scores can add greatly to any film's success. Where would the new Pride and Prejudice or Life is Beautiful be, for example, without their sweeping and arresting musical compositions? Therefore, if you love romance or period pieces, do not skip this one, for it does have its merits. But, one can not help but feel that Bright Star would have shone far more powerfully with the additions of some apt melodies and a sharper, better-paced direction.