Keats isn't my favorite poet, but telling this story from an idealistic young woman's point of view is brilliant. Inspiring.

"Through a lush filmic vernacular, Campion shows how these two figures were not only fiercely devoted to their work but also kindred spirits." - Ed Gonzalez

A very rote period piece, adhering far too closely to a standard template. There are some beautiful, lyrical moments but not all that many of them. Some of it is actually very dull. In most respects it was just so unremarkable. Cornish and Whishaw both deliver above-average performances, but not superlative in any way. The film is most impressive in its aesthetic aspects: gorgeous photography, a lovely score, and fine costuming. I just wish the story was more compelling or uniquely told.

Well made period piece full of lingering beautiful shots. But the story is a little dull.

Refined, but also smartly earthbound. The exchanges don't feel like distant literary or historical material, but like deeply felt words shared between realistic, recognizable people. Campion occasionally captures beautiful images with her camera, but more often she's using it with measured storytelling skill, figuring out the most effective way to clearly tell her story and find the cleanest ways to cut through to the inner workings of her characters.

What starts out as a captivating focus on 19th century life and love, eventually descends into a static and completely uninteresting lump of sap. It all goes downhill once the romance truly begins. Abbie Cornish, on the other hand, is a revelation in the role of Fanny. She and the costumes make it basically worth seeing.

As predictable as it was slow. A shame really as it looked awesome from the trailer and the PSI.

This well constructed period drama leans far too heavily on Keats' verse, and fails to make the blossoming romance relevant for a contemporary audience. I also found Brawne's character unrealistically haphazard, she seems to jump between prudish and precocious throughout the affair. This is not a critique of the acting, which was excellent, but rather the emotions being called upon, which seemed bizarre. I enjoyed the film, but not as much as I could have.

The story is so cliche, but the way it is told is just breathtaking. It is not overly melodramatic (I hate that), the acting is superb, cinematography and music are beautiful yet subtle.

Campion captures each moment with a rare, understated beauty that brings forth a real sense of romance and longing without the mawkish broad-strokes of the usual Hollywood fare. I'm thoroughly convinced she's one of the finest directors of our time. If only her screenplays were equally elegant.

Beautifully shot--particularly the interior shots of Cornish sitting near windows. Not a great story or particularly insightful examination of Keats and his poetry and ideas. Still, I found the scenes of love and heartache satisfying.

Campion's poetic cinematography isn't enough to save this one. Echoing the poetry of Keats, there's some beautiful use of natural imagery throughout however the main relationship of the film lacks depth and the pacing is incredibly awkward. Cornish does a respectable job as a strong female lead in an era where women were able to become more independent, however Ben Whinsaw portrays Keats as such a mopey, depressive character that it's hard to root for either him or his relationship.

Visually - this film is romantic poetry captured on celluloid. Every thing of beauty in this film brings a joy forever. Flowery colors of spring, close-ups of hands and faces, there are scenes where you can see the breeze, and it is beautiful. Story itself is nothing special. Frankly, it gets a bit dull. Even though the subject matter is bound to bring tears to many sensitive viewers, it never manipulates emotions. Soundtrack by the young composer Mark Bradshaw deserves special mention.

A sensuous film of awe-inspiring beauty, which would seem visually overwrought if the film's subject was not one of the great romanticists. Cornish and Whishaw are both wonderful in their roles. The movements of the story is nothing new, yet the film is so well made that its cliches can be forgiven.

slow, boring and sad movie. although the little red haired girl was really adorable.

Visually beautiful. But 19th century British romance is so frustrating.

It looks down-right painterly at times and all the shots with flowers around the characters are wow (and the butterflies!), and likewise the costumes look wonderful. It unfurls nicely, is generally well acted but rarely seems like anything special. The poetry writing and admiration never fully convinces and the mopiness in the later stages is a bit trying. Still I thought the whole thing was tenderly done and I liked it a fair bit. Plus you've gotta love Keats.

The cinematic aspects, such as the use of nature imagery and the photography in general, to some extent outshine the characterization. What starts as a lively yet meditative reflection on the beauty of life, nature and language, becomes a little more conventional and less interesting as the undeniably tragic narrative takes centre stage.

A moving, understated period film expertly crafted by one of the best female directors in the industry. What sets this apart from other costume dramas is its avoidance of too much sentimentality. Campion makes sure that the characters' emotions are outwardly expressed in graded doses and always only during moments when they are needed to be expressed. Thus, it steers clear of mushy or schmaltzy territories. In fact, the film's most powerful scenes are in those moments of quiet and restraint.

This really is a movie that I could have easily rated a 50 or 60, or an 80 or 90. I love period pieces or something close to portraying history accurately, but this definitely focused on the depressing aspects--which probably reflected on the subject matter pretty accurately. I mean, Keats died at 25 and Fanny carried his torch for the rest of her life. But this is beyond tragedy, it's just plain depressing. But then again, maybe we need to look at that. Not for everybody to say the least.