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What's After the Movie?
Biographical drama

Bright Star (2009): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Bright Star (2009) movie poster

Bright Star is a 2009 biographical drama directed by Jane Campion, starring Abbie Cornish, Ben Whishaw and Paul Schneider. It runs 1 hour 59 minutes and earned $14.4 million worldwide on a $8.5 million budget. It was nominated for 1 Oscar. Critics gave it 82% on Rotten Tomatoes and 81 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.9/10.

IMDb rating
6.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes
82%
worldwide gross
$14.4M
award nominations
3
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Bright Star (2009) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 59m (119 min)
Director
Jane Campion
Genres
Biography , Drama , Romance
Original language
English
Budget
$8.5M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Bright Star About?

The premise of Bright Star without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

In 1818 London, a passionate and forbidden romance develops between the young poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne, a spirited and fashionable woman. Their intense connection inspires Keats’s poetic creativity, but their love faces challenges due to social conventions and the looming threat of mortality. As their relationship deepens, they must confront the heartbreaking realities of life and loss, forever shaping Keats’s legacy.

Bright Star Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • reed
  • artistic creation
  • period drama
  • costume drama
  • female director
  • female filmmaker
  • gentle cinema
  • 1810s
  • unconsummated love
  • live action
  • 19th century england
  • poet
+38 more
  • passion
  • friend
  • john keats
  • 19th century
  • f rated
  • reference to song of solomon
  • reference to john keats
  • title directed by female
  • empire fashion
  • pianoforte
  • mourning
  • grief
  • loss
  • violinist
  • longing
  • departure
  • gossip
  • obsession
  • valentine's card
  • bookshop
  • seamstress
  • historical event
  • musing
  • washing clothes
  • ironing clothes
  • gay subtext
  • homosexual subtext
  • hopelessness
  • tragic love
  • tragic event
  • hit on the head with a ball
  • playing catch
  • poetry class
  • hampstead village london
  • hanging out washing
  • cigar smoking
  • cigarette smoking
  • bookseller
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Cast & crew

Bright Star Cast

Abbie Cornish leads the cast, with Ben Whishaw and Paul Schneider. Directed by Jane Campion.

From the director

More from Jane Campion

More films directed by Jane Campion, best-rated first: The Piano, The Power of the Dog, An Angel at My Table and Sweetie.

Full filmography
Ratings

Bright Star Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Bright Star 82% on Rotten Tomatoes and 81 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.9/10.

Plot

Bright Star Plot Summary

What happens in Bright Star from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In 1818 Hampstead, the stylish Fanny Brawne, Abbie Cornish, is introduced to the aspiring poet John Keats, Ben Whishaw, through the Dilke family. The Dilkes occupy one half of a double house, while Charles Brown, Paul Schneider, occupies the other half as Keats’s friend, housemate, and writing collaborator. The film sets up a quiet tension between Fanny’s buoyant, flirtatious energy and Keats’s cool, reserved temperament, a contrast that slowly fans into a deep, life-altering connection.

Full summary

The whole story of Bright Star, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Bright Star Box Office & Budget

Bright Star grossed $14.4 million worldwide on a $8.5 million budget, 1.7 times what it cost. $4.4 million came from the US and Canada and $9.9 million (69%) from the rest of the world.

2009 box office

Worldwide gross

$14.4M

1.7× its budget

US & Canada
$4.4M
International
$9.9M
Budget
$8.5M
US & Canada 31% Rest of the world 69%
Awards

Bright Star Awards & Nominations

Bright Star was nominated for 1 Oscar. The 3 nominations come from 3 ceremonies.

3 nominations3 ceremonies

Videos

Bright Star Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Bright Star.

Bright Star Trailer (HD)
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Bright Star?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who is the poet whose love story is depicted in the film?

Details

Bright Star Also Known As

25 alternative titles, including “O Brilho de uma Paixão” and “Bright Star - Die erste Liebe strahlt am hellsten”.

Also known as
  • O Brilho de uma Paixão
  • Bright Star - Die erste Liebe strahlt am hellsten
  • 璀璨情詩
  • Bright Star - Meine Liebe. Ewig.
  • 璀璨情诗
  • 灿烂之星
  • 闪亮的星星
  • 브라이트 스타
  • Mon amour
  • Parlak Yıldız
  • Bright Star - Estrela Cintilante
  • 明亮的星
+13 more
  • Jaśniejsza od gwiazd
  • Яркая звезда
  • Fényes csillag
  • כוכב בהיר
  • Jasná hvězda
  • Brilho de uma Paixão
  • Ярка звезда
  • Steaua luminoasă
  • Spožā zvaigzne
  • ブライト・スター いちばん美しい恋の詩
  • Yön kirkas tähti
  • Яскрава зірка
  • Ngôi Sao Sáng

Seen Bright Star?

FAQ

Bright Star FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of Bright Star, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Bright Star?

Bright Star runs 1 hour 59 minutes (119 minutes).

When was Bright Star released?

Bright Star was released on September 16, 2009.

Who directed Bright Star?

Bright Star was directed by Jane Campion.

More films by Jane Campion

Who is in the cast of Bright Star?

Bright Star stars Abbie Cornish, Ben Whishaw and Paul Schneider.

How much did Bright Star make at the box office?

Bright Star grossed $14.4 million worldwide ($4.4 million domestic, $9.9 million international) on a budget of $8.5 million.

How is Bright Star rated?

Bright Star has 6.9/10 on IMDb, 82% on Rotten Tomatoes, 81 on Metacritic and 66% on TMDB.

Was Bright Star nominated for any awards?

Bright Star received 3 nominations across 3 ceremonies.

Does Bright Star have a post-credit scene?

No. Bright Star has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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