Review of Bright Star (2009) by Stephen L — 01 Feb 2010

This movie is the epitome of Eddie Izzard's take on British film:

â??A room with a view with a staircase and a pondâ??-type movies. Films with very fine acting, but the drama is rather sort of subsued and - subsumed or - a word like that. Sub- something or another. You know, just folded in and everything's people opening doors. 'Oh, I'm - oh, what? Well, Iâ??ve - oh.".

"What is it, Sebastian? I'm arranging matches." "Well, I - I thought you - ... I'd better go." "Yes, I think you'd better had.".

But don't take this description to mean I don't think this is a good movie. The acting is indeed very fine. Ultimately, this is a very sad story and the actors and the filmmakers do a wonderful job of portraying it as such but also a hopeful story of the power of love. However, I do feel like when the movie starts you're plopped right in the middle of something and that most of the characters, even the main ones, advance the plot more than they stand as individuals.