A thing of beauty.

" A thing of beauty is a joy forever."

(Listen to this while reading)

The movie Bright Star, directed by Jane Campion is a joy. It is so incredibly beautiful in every way, it has no other choice. Whew. This blog started out like a serious-smart-person-movie-review. It's not. I just wanted to express how much I loved this movie and share its beauty with others. I knew I would love it from the moment I first saw the trailer, and thanks to Netflix Instant Watch, I was able to watch it during a night of head ache and insomnia.

The story is so beautiful in its simplicity. The poetry of John Keats, which I wish I was more than summarily acquainted with, is infused in so many scenes. There are incredibly wonderful recitations of his poems by Ben Whishaw (as Keats) and Abbie Cornish (as Fannie Brawne) that, done by another actor could have seems pretentious or dry. The poetry was heartfelt, sincere and completely honest. As Keats says when giving Fannie a poetry lesson, is that "a poem needs understanding through the senses" and a poem, like the experience of diving into a lake, cannot and does not need to be worked out, but must be luxuriated in, it is "an experience beyond thought." This movie felt like a a lake to be luxuriated in, experienced and, above all, felt.

If you're like me, and you have a love for tragic romance and beauty, you will love this film. It follows the three year love of the poet John Keats and Fannie Brawne. Their love is almost a character in itself, and like the movie it is engaging, graceful, pure and beautiful. The way their relationship grows and matures is really wonderful to see. I'm not going to say anymore, because I don't want to spoil it. Highly recommended.

I also apologize for using the word "beautiful" so much. But really. Beautiful.

Just look: