Bright Star (12A)
Verdict: Visual poetry ***
"A THING of beauty is a joy forever," or so said some guy. And Bright Star, a lush biopic of the poet John Keats, is definitely a thing of beauty.
It's only a joy for about 45 minutes though - because despite being visually stunning, it's as dry as hell.
Young English actor Ben Whishaw does a top-notch job playing the fragile wordsmith. Aussie Abbie Cornish is fine as his lover Fanny Brawne (not a name that's aged brilliantly, to be fair.) And director Jane Campion (of The Piano) makes it all look suitably lovely. But there's not quite enough meat in the pair's woe-is-me relationship to last the two-hour running time.
Costume drama nuts won't care - they'll be too busy gawping at Fanny's outfits. But more Keats and fewer pleats would have suited me better.
OUT FRIDAY 6TH NOVEMBER
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