Movie Thoughts: Bright Star
Yesterday I was standing in front of the Redbox vending machine in McDonalds, trying to pick out a DVD before the five people behind me became impatient. I was very fortunate to have Bright Star catch my eye. I was looking for something romantic but not fluffy or overworked and this film fit the bill perfectly.
The story follows the life of John Keats and his love of three years, Fanny Brawne. I’m no expert on Keats’s life so I can’t comment on the accuracy of the film. I can say that the attention to detail in regards to the script (where I felt like I needed an unabridged dictionary at times to look up archaic phrases) and the period costuming will insure that this film becomes a staple for English teachers struggling to give their students a more lively feel for the life of one of the most renowned Romantic poets.
The story is simple and beautiful. Very little “drama” in the usual cinematic sense occurs. We simply observe two characters who happen to fall deeply in love and yet are unable to be together. The film is subdivided by the various obstacles that keep them apart: money, sickness, distance and finally death. Despite all of this tragedy the film and its story remain quite beautiful. Pure love isn’t bemoaned as an inescapable prison, a vexing problem that the plot must work out. Love is instead something to be observed and wondered at. Like Keats’s poems the value isn’t in being able to figure things out immediately, but enjoying the sensation of being immersed in the story. Very few films seem to have this level of artistic sophistication. If you watch the film be prepared for moments where nothing “significant” is occurring. Take in the scenery and the atmosphere, because every little detail forms a world that lets modern audiences look into the lives of people who thought about life and love in ways that are still very uncommon.
If you are looking for a quality “date-night” movie I wholeheartedly suggest Bright Star. Even if you aren’t a literary buff you will find the characters to be memorable and the story immensely meaningful.
