Bright Star

Filmmaker Jane Campion’s first effort since 2003’s In the Cut, Bright Star revolves around the final years of poet John Keats (Ben Whishaw) – as he falls for a commoner (Abby Cornish’s Fanny Brawne) and eventually contracts tuberculosis. Writer/director Campion’s excessive reliance on the various conventions generally associated with stories set in the 1800s (eg relentless politeness, eye-rollingly flowery dialogue, etc) prevents the viewer from connecting either with the material or the characters virtually from the get-go, with the aggressive lack of plot exacerbating the movie’s less-than-enthralling atmosphere. The film, which moves at a sub-glacial pace, is consequently something close to an ordeal for the bulk of its hopelessly overlong running time, and there quickly reaches a point at which the aggressively uneventful vibe becomes too much for even the most patient of viewers to stomach. Only Paul Schneider – cast as an 18th century douchebag – manages to make any kind of an impact, as it becomes increasingly difficult to resist his gleefully over-the-top turn as Keats’ closest friend (ie his appearances represent an all-too-infrequent break in the monotony of the central storyline). The pervasive absence of visual flair is hardly as problematic as the film’s lack of passion or emotion, with the tragic trajectory of the true-life tale finally unable to pack even a portion of the impact that Campion is surely striving for. The final result is a frustratingly stagnant endeavor that renders the admittedly impressive production design and performances moot, and, aside from indiscriminate art-house fans, Bright Star is ultimately unlikely to hold much appeal for the majority of viewers.

* out of ****