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.

I really liked the score, which was used sparingly, and the costumes were a shoo-in for the Oscar nomination in 2009. The performances are just fine but I had a hard time connecting with the characters. I suppose that it's part of the profession of a romantic poet to feel very deeply so I imagine that the overblown emotions in the film give an accurate portrayal of Keats' life. Give it a shot if you're into poetry.

"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

79.750

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.

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

The photography and performances are just absolutely stunning, despite, or perhaps because, how simple the story may be.

Sadly, Campion fails to deliver entirely the directing level she had in The Piano. The leading role is superbly interpreted by Abbie Cornish, but the film's problem is that we're not convinced that the poets are ... real. I wasn't emotionally caught unless SHE cried or laughed; never let in to fully understand the minds of her surroundings, having to cling on to HER project only. Still, the cinematography is astonishing. Colors and style underline the plot in ways I'm not sure I've seen before.

reviews, story

If it's a perfunctory period romance, it's a very well-made one nonetheless, and as a fan of the "genre," I found little to complain about. Excellent photography, and a touching romance.

really fucking good, i dare say its better than the piano

As someone who completely adores John Keats, I can't completely write off this movie. That's the number one reason why I found it as enjoyable as I did. Someone who doesn't know of him or doesn't particularly enjoy his writing may not feel the same way. Personally, I found myself completely wrapped up in the story. At times, yes, it was slow, but in the end it was engaging and easy to fall in love with their story. (Or, you know, Keats himself. Is that strange?)

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.

Lovely and touching, but, I don't know, kind of juvenile. I realise it's about teenagers, but I still didn't truly get into it. Or maybe it's just too straight-laced for my tastes.

It took a while for the film to get its hooks into me. Campion delivers a solid period piece that rivals her best work ("The Piano"). Whishaw and Cornish turn in rich performances, full of nuance, and complement each other perfectly. But it's Campion who deserves most of the praise, a seasoned director who after so many years hasn't lost her ability to tell a engaging story. It's only after we're brought back to our world that you realise what a great film this is. Wholeheartedly recommended.

A picture-perfect illustration of a tragic love story. The bond which grows between the 2 characters is subtle and it's never obvious who is going to make the next move. Just like in real life. The character of Brown really makes this into more of a love triangle - think Jules et Jim. The images and sounds are beautiful, and the story, although slow-paced, is never boring for a second. Well done, Ms Campion!

Luxuriates in an ocean of beauty and melancholy, and like a true Romantic carries this feeling into the horrors of death.

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.

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.

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.

Depressing and mopey, however beautiful. I'm glad I didn't live in this time period.

There is nothing to equivocate about here... This movie was made for a specific audience: You either have a poetic, romantic soul, or you don't. For me, I found it truly tender, and moving. (Marry me Abbie Cornish!) But, what I appreciated most, was the lack of manipulative music scoring. I felt transported, and immersed by the simple joys of natural sounds. Sounds that are obliterated (most of the time) in our modern world...

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.

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.

8/11/9 - Hmmmm. Too long, badly paced, lots of mediocre performances (though Cornish and Schneider both shine), fails to explain anything about any of the characters other than Keats and Brawne, which is frustrating if you lack the requisite knowledge. But it's beautifully shot, and very sweet, and has some great moments. Worth seeing if you've an interest in the characters or really enjoy period drama (this could have easily been on BBC1 over a couple of weeks).

This is such as to make us ask ourselves when we last had on screen a love story we could believe in. (In the Mood for Love, maybe? 2001?) That, or more exactly the believability part of it, is truly saying something when the principal characters are so prone to recite poetry extemporaneously, not only the poet who wrote it, but also the smitten one who, having invested in a copy of Endymion "to see if he's an idiot or not," has committed his words to memory: incontrovertible evidence of love.