--- title: "Bright Star: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/bright-star/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/bright-star" critics_score: 78 critics_reviews: 14 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Bright Star (2009): what the critics said Critics' score 78 from 14 reviews: 12 positive, 2 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews lean clearly positive: of fourteen, twelve recommend the film and none dismiss it. Most critics agree that Campion has made a careful, quiet romance, and the praise clusters in two places. One is the pairing of Ben Whishaw and Abbie Cornish, whose reserve and growing intimacy several reviews describe as the heart of the film. The other is the look of it: the cinematography and the lived-in period detail are mentioned by nearly everyone, usually with the word beautiful. The reservations are about pace. A number of critics find the film slow or stately, and Total Film thinks the story slight for its running time. Variety and The Hollywood Reporter both suspect that restraint will keep it an art-house pleasure. Slant Magazine, otherwise admiring, calls some of the imagery purple. The spread is narrow, from three stars to raves, and nobody argues the film is a failure. ## Evening Standard Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2012. The critic finds the film poetic, emotionally rich and unusually thoughtful. They particularly praise its beautiful performances, visual style and the way Keats’s poetry shapes the story. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/a-captivating-love-story-in-bright-star-7417379.html) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 15 May 2009. Festival review. Bradshaw calls the film affecting, deeply considered and potentially Campion’s best, praising its reverence for romance. He especially singles out the film’s beautiful, restrained cinematography and the tenderness between its leads. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/may/15/jane-campion-bright-star-cannes-film-festival-review) ## Empire — Liz Moody Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 26 October 2009. Moody finds the film quietly devastating yet uplifting, praising Campion’s subtle pacing and balance of light and shade. She also singles out the lively, tender chemistry between Cornish and Whishaw. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/bright-star-review/) ## The AV Club — Keith Phipps Rating B+. 16 September 2009. Phipps finds the film a studied, moving romance that occasionally risks becoming too spellbound by its subjects. He praises the delicate reserve of Ben Whishaw’s performance and the incremental depth of Abbie Cornish’s portrayal of Fanny Brawne. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/bright-star-1798206966) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Ray Bennett Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 15 May 2009. Festival review. Bennett finds the film a graceful, romantic treat, though its appeal may be limited beyond festivals and art-house audiences. He especially praises the performances of Ben Whishaw and Abbie Cornish, and the film’s beautiful cinematography. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/bright-star-film-review-93151/) ## The New Yorker — David Denby Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 13 September 2009. Denby finds Campion’s film an extraordinary, delicately lyrical account of Keats and Fanny’s love. He especially praises the vivid, lived-in period re-creation, though he faults one overly literal romantic moment. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/09/21/young-romantics) ## Time Out — Dave Calhoun Rating 4/5. 3 November 2009. The review describes the film as breezy and beautiful, despite its slow pace. It singles out the film’s beauty as a strength. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/bright-star-1) ## Total Film — Philip Kemp Rating 4/5. 30 October 2009. Kemp finds the film exceptionally intelligent and delicately made, calling it Campion’s best in years. He praises the sensitive performances and period detail, though he finds the story sometimes too slight for its running time. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/bright-star-review/) ## Slant Magazine — Ed Gonzalez Rating 3/4. 14 September 2009. Gonzalez finds the film flawed but ultimately relishes Campion’s artistic risks. He praises its dreamlike visual beauty while criticizing some imagery as overly purple and callow. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/bright-star/) ## The New York Times — A. O. Scott Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 16 September 2009. The review responds positively to Campion’s poetic romantic drama. It singles out the film’s attention to poetry and the lovers’ emotional world. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/movies/16bright.html) ## Variety — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 15 May 2009. Festival review. The review finds Campion’s film beautifully made and emotionally insightful, though its restraint and poetic focus may limit its appeal. It especially praises Abbie Cornish’s perceptive, memorable performance as Fanny Brawne. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2009/film/markets-festivals/bright-star-2-1200474863/) ## RogerEbert.com Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). The page identifies a review of the matching film, but its text is inaccessible. The critic’s verdict and any specific praise or complaint cannot be confirmed. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/bright-star-2009) ## Radio Times — Stella Papamichael Rating 3/5. Papamichael presents the film as a bittersweet love story. She singles out its portrayal of the inspiration behind Keats’s poetry. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-rsplnp/bright-star/) ## Eye for Film — Jeff Robson Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 22 October 2009. Robson finds the film a poignant, rewarding romance, though its pacing can be too stately. He praises Campion’s vivid direction and the performances, especially the genuine chemistry and intimacy of the central love story. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/bright-star-film-review-by-jeff-robson) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/bright-star.md