"Bright Star": The Best Poet Film with Ben Whishaw You Missed

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When it comes to films about poets or artists, you probably immediately think of something like "boring period piece cinema." But sometimes a project bursts onto the scene that's nothing like the rest.

In honor of Ben Whshaw's 45th birthday (yes, *that* Ben Whshaw from "Perfume"), I want to remind you about one particular film — "Bright Star." And trust me, it's every bit as good as "Perfume," just about something completely different.

If you haven't seen it, you've missed what's possibly the best film ever made about a poet. And yes, I know what I'm talking about — I used to write poetry myself and had a thing for period dramas.

What It's About

"Bright Star" is a 2009 biopic directed by Oscar-winner Jane Campion ("The Piano" and "The Power of the Dog"). The film's based on real events from the life of English Romantic poet John Keats.

The story takes us to London, 1818. Fashionable and spirited young Fanny Brawne (played by Abbie Cornish), who lives next door, meets the poet John Keats ( ).

He's poor, unrecognized by critics, and — as we'll later discover — dying of tuberculosis. She's full of life and loves making her own dresses.
Bright Star trailer
At first, they're far from compatible, but soon — through poetry lessons and finding common ground — that all-consuming, once-in-a-lifetime love ignites.

The filmmakers did extensive research, pulling many lines in the script directly from Keats's actual letters. So you're getting a pretty accurate reconstruction of his life.

What Critics and Viewers Think

What makes "Bright Star" work? There aren't any wild plot twists, but there's an endless stream of aesthetically stunning shots.

Campion's direction, as in all her films, is flawless. The acting never feels forced. Whishaw, by the way, went beyond just performance — during prep, he actually wrote letters with a quill pen to make it look natural on screen.

Critics mostly loved it. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an 83% Fresh rating, and on IMDb it scores 6.9.

Many were impressed that Campion managed to show a passionate romance "without saccharine sentimentality or old-fashioned stuffiness" (Rincón de cine on RT).
A woman in period costume gently touches a man's cheek as he stands in his period attire
Stills from the Bright Star trailer
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Audiences generally agree: the film's beautiful, moving, with stunning costumes and excellent cinematography. Sure, some find it slow, but for those who appreciate gradual, authentic emotional development, it's a gem.

"Bright Star" perfectly shows how a simple story of doomed romance becomes great cinema that inspires. Definitely watch it if you're ready for melancholy, poetry, and powerful emotions.

You won't just see a film about a poet — you'll experience a story about how love can become both the strongest fuel for creativity and the deepest source of grief.

What does "a great love story" mean to you? Got any recommendations to share back? Earlier on zoomboola.com, we told you about "Cronos" and "Mimic": 2 of horror master Guillermo del Toro's most overlooked films.