Is there enough drama? Are the characters relatable? Is there anyone who would find this story appeasing? These are all valid questions one must consider when opting to tell a true story. What often starts off as a mirror image to the actual events soon becomes a complicated tale with little in comparison to the original course of action. Regretfully I am not well versed in the life and times of Fanny Brawne and her love-interest, poet John Keats. Nonetheless, it doesn't really matter as Bright Star suffers from a lack of action and progression, standing still through much of its two-hour run time, never fully gaining enough momentum to trigger the heartfelt sympathy that it so obviously desires.
Now, with that out of the way, I will say that Jane Campion's Bright Star is not a horrible film - rather, just an unfortunate disappointment. Abbie Cornish and Ben Whishaw give amazing performances as Brawne and Keats respectively; while Paul Schneider provides a strong supporting role as Charles Armitage Brown. Together, the three form a strong force on screen, showing that at times, great performances can't save an otherwise uneventful picture.
The story, which tells of the undeniable, yet unacceptable love between Brawn and Keats, just doesn't have enough going on to keep your eyelids from glazing over. So much of the film relies on internal struggles between the two leads, often resulting in long stints of no dialogue, forcing us to venture into the soul of both characters and understand their longing for one another. At times, this strategy works, but for some reason, it made for a long and boring film here.
The scenery used is outstanding, as are the wardrobes of all involved - Fanny's a seamstress after all. These two combined create some remarkable visuals to feast yours eyes on when little is occurring elsewhere. However, that too becomes tiresome as landscapes can only make up a certain percentage of the overall film, leaving much to be desired in the form of character development and story content. Sooner or later you are forced to follow the infancy lives of our two lovebirds, and for the most part, that doesn't warrant a ten dollar ticket purchase.
However, I will say that Bright Star is worth seeing, for no other reason than the performances that compose the feature. Abbie Cornish gives a gritty portrayal of Fanny, hitting her stride some ten minutes in and selling herself with both heart and soul. Her highlight, along with the film's, comes near the conclusion as she and John have been forced to separate, prompting Fanny to shut off the outside world. A swarm of butterflies and a few letters later, we see a maturing girl battling one of the cruelest heartbreaks imaginable. It is a growing point for Fanny, but in all regard, Cornish used it to grow as an actress - and boy did she do it well.
I will not ruin the ending, for those who don't already know the story of Keats and his battle for survival will find it a disastrous conclusion to an otherwise heartfelt story. But one must remember, when dealing with real life, nothing is immune to the rigors of reality.
