Bright Star / An Education

Here I muse over two period dramas that struck me on the pains of young adult love and growth ❤️ 

This Jane Campion film, Bright Star, is so beautiful. I admired Franny's character for her conviction and the ways in which Keats makes her a believer in the beauty of love.  My favorite scene is when Franny collects dozens of butterflies and lets them loose in her room because Keats writes in a letter how he wishes they lived but three blissful days together, free as butterflies, than a lifetime of painful separation.  I remember reading Keats in high school and feeling that his sensitivity resonated so deeply with me.  It was so satisfying to see this portrayal of him, to understand his muse and the poetic context for inspiration, despite or perhaps because of the tragedy and illness that shadowed his short life.

Oh how I envied the costume design on this film, An Education. I adored the 1960's chic wardrobe. Jenny's character is bridging to the adult world by dating an older guy, as the boys her age start to pale in comparison. Shifting from the banal family/school paradigm to coming alive to a world of with color, the schoolgirl idealization inevitably is a fantasy.

My favorite scene was when her father opens up to her regarding his own shortcomings and the pressure he had been placing on her because of his own fears to be in the world. A charming coming-of-age story.