Review of Bright Star (2009) by Anthony C — 04 Apr 2010

Bright Star tells the story of a secret love affair between 23 year old English poet, John Keats, and the girl next door, Fanny Brawne, and outspoken student of fashion. This unlikely pair started at odds, he thinking her a stylish minx, she unimpressed by literature in general. It was the illness of Keats' younger brother that drew them together. Keats was touched by Fanny's efforts to help and agreed to teach her poetry. By the time Fanny's alarmed mother and Keats' best friend Brown realized their attachment, the relationship had an unstoppable momentum. Intensely and helplessly absorbed in each other, the young lovers were swept into powerful new sensation, "I have the feeling as if I were dissolving," Keats wrote her. Together they rode a wave of romantic obsession that deepened as their troubles mounted. Only Keats' illness proved insurmountable. Every year for film has a best performance out of any category: Daniel Day-Lewis in 2007, Kate Winslet for Revolutionary Road in 2008, and for me, in 2009, Abbie Cornish gave the best performance of the year. She was incredibly snubbed all through awards season as was Whishaw, Schneider, Campion, and the film as a whole. Each scene gives exhilarating costume design, performances, direction, art direction, and cinemtography. The score for the film isn't very original or big, but it completely draws you into the movie.

Noms/Wins: *Winner.

Best Picture [#3 Up in the Air].

Best Actor in a Leading Role, Ben Whishaw [#4 George Clooney].

Best Actress in a Leading Role, Abbie Cornish*.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Paul Schneider [#4 Stanley Tucci].

Best Director, Jane Campion [#3 Jason Reitman].

Best Adapted Screenplay [#4 Up in the Air].

Best Art Direction*.

Best Costume Design*.

3 Wins/8 Nominations.

Rating: 10/10.