"Bright Star" - REVIEW

One of the most striking things about Jane Campion's "Bright Star" is how it doesn't luxuriate in its period settings. White is a prominent color, and seems to wash out certain scenes, leaving us a film that, as best it can, rejects the temptation to become little more than a pageant for pretty period costumes, and instead becomes a focused, lovely, and mostly true romance. Those expecting a biopic of poet John Keats will be underwhelmed, but if people can open themselves to Campion's woman-oriented romance, they will find a small treasure.

Opening in a rather direct and cut-to-the-point manner (thereby deviating from more "conventional" period pieces), we follow Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish), her mother, and two younger siblings as they pay a visit to Mr. Brown (Paul Schneider) and his friend, struggling poet John Keats (Ben Whishaw). Fanny is told to take a cup of tea to Mr. Keats, and from their first interaction, it's clear that there is some semblance of a connection. But where Campion and crew go right is in not jumping straight to the near 3 year love affair that occurred. Instead, the romance is built up gently, giving us time to come to learn about these people. In fact, some of the most interesting moments are in the first half, during which Fanny asks Keats to teach her about poetry, which causes her to clash with the pompous Mr. Brown, who continually tries to paint her as an empty flirt. Despite the the pale colors on the screen, Ms. Campion's script surprisingly crackles with life, namely when Brawne and Brown clash. As I said earlier, this is not "The John Keats Story", but is more about a woman's struggle with independence as well as falling in love with a man who, "has no real income". What evolves from a mere pleasant acquaintance feels genuine, and quietly absorbing.

Appropriately, color plays an important role. Beginning in winter, the use of white and brown feels more oppressive, making the later spring scenes (which are not extravagantly lit, however) give off a subtle sense of warmth and feeling. Perhaps the best scene in the film is one in which Keats (via voiceover) reads a letter to Fanny, while she lies down in a field of lavender. There are also a handful of beautiful scenes involving butterflies. But seeing as this is (sort of) about a poet, and poetry, there is the matter of words, and they don't disappoint. The sharp remarks are a small part; what's really important here are the exchanges between Fanny and John, and they're elegantly written, without feeling unreal.

But such words are useless if the cast can't deliver them. Luckily, Campion has given her words to a limited cast who are more than up to the task. Schneider makes an unlikeable antagonist without devolving into a caricature, while Whishaw captures the poet-in-need-of-inspiration aspect of his role. However, the film ultimately belongs to Cornish, who in addition to getting the most dynamic character, also has the meatiest scenes, and she doesn't disappoint. In her scenes with Whishaw, she's the more compelling actor, particularly in scenes in which the two recite lines of poetry together, which are more romantic than some of the steamiest sex scenes. Their chemistry is really what makes this film work so well; they create a relationship that we actually want to see succeed, without overtly sexualizing it.

Unfortunately, this focus on the relationship isn't always a good thing. My big complaint with the overall film is that Campion and crew get so wrapped up in the relationship scenes (and who can blame them) that plot details are often delivered rather lazily. Such lazy deliver can cause reactions to news to at first seem strange or over the top, before it is finally made clear exactly what is going on. It's unfortunate, because the scenes with Whishaw and Cornish are so beautifully rendered, but such scenes can't simply BE the entire movie; there needs to be some sense of forward motion, and it is this aspect alone where Campion's script stumbles.

Production wise, there's nothing spectacular, which I think was Campion's intention. There are a few nice costumes, but the film never becomes obsessed with them or the sets. The real stars of the artistic/tech departments are the cinematography and Mark Bradshaw's score. A handful of handheld camera shots, certainly not common in period pieces, are remarkably effective, especially when bolstered by Bradshaw's lovely score, which has its best moment in a song performed almost entirely by a "human orchestra" of male voices.

One of John Keats' more famous poems opens with the line "A thing of beauty is a joy forever". While Jane Campion's "Bright Star" may not endure forever, it is most certainly a thing of beauty.

Grade: B