42/365 Bright Star

Starring: Abby Cornish, Ben Whishaw, Paul Schneider

Genre: Romantic Drama

Discovery: I really enjoy films about poets & their lives.

Summary: The love story of John Keats and Fanny Brawne.

First Glance: While a few creative liberties are taken, this is a well developed story. We are introduced to Fanny, who is a successful seamstress/designer. When she meets John, their attraction is instantaneous and unexplainable (the very words of Keats himself). He becomes a mentor to her.  Teaching her about poetry.  A love affair is born; however, cut tragically short when he is forced to move to Italy because of his illness.

Deeper Look:  The two most impressionable things about this movie are:  1) How amazingly it captured that time period.  Locations were stunning.  Walking through gardens or trekking through the forest filled me with thoughts of what it would have been like to be there.  Chemistry galore between Abby and Ben.  Such longing & intensity that ‘first loves’ often have. (Behind the scenes girl says: The costumes are based off of Fanny’s own designs.  I was enraptured by them.  Giddy is more like it.  Each and every one was a work of art.) 2) We have a strong, romantic heroine in Fanny Brawne.  She is no shrinking violet.  Fanny is brave, loyal, and courageous.  She loves with her whole heart.  Very admirable. (Thank you Abby, for bringing such depth to her.)  PS This movie revolves around the love affair of the two more than the life of John Keats, fyi.

What I Took Away from this Movie: It isn’t the length of a love affair it is the depth.

Final Glimpse: Lavish costumes, superb cinematography, and awesome acting create an amazing tale of love & loss.  The romantic in me loves this movie!