source: Brightest Star

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While watching this movie, I wonder if it would have been reviewed better had it come out before (500) Days of Summer. There are several elements both movies have: the nonlinear structure, a forlorn protagonist with job dissatisfaction, the opening narration warning of a doomed relationship. In this movie, I found it harder to track the timeline, as there were few, if any, visual clues that helped distinguish between past and present. This movie seems to be less of a romance and more of a film of personal growth, but overall, the movie, like its protagonist, just moves without a lot of excitement or passion.

This rom-dram revolves around three characters. The central figure is only called The Boy...and for good reason. He never grows up and apparently doesn't want to learn how. Lita is the daughter of a business tycoon, and she has found her calling as a singer. Appropriately, the film acknowledges that she is "wise beyond her years." The final link in the triangle is Charlotte, an artist with a face from a Botticelli painting, who does not appear to have much depth or insight into herself or others. The film is messy in making credible this curious romantic triangle. The main problem is that it was never believable that either Lita or Charlotte would have an attraction or give the time of day to such an infantile character as The Boy. One of the most interesting portions of the film is when The Boy runs away from both Lita and Charlotte to give up a career in business that was handed to him on a platter and to go in in search of the greater meaning of life by working as a janitor in an observatory. The director of the facility who goes by the nickname of Hypathia in lieu of her real name, Jessica, provides some direction in The Boy's life when she tells him, "You're fired!" The Boy should be grateful for the precious time he had with both Lita and Charlotte, as well as the good advice provided to him by Hypathia. If there is any message to this muddled film, it might be to count your blessings for the opportunities you have had in life to be with special people even if the relationships do not "work out." And the main takeaway for The Boy is for him to recognize that his true calling in life is to make delicious sandwiches.

I found the movie awesome to watch. Unlike the previous review of it, I am struck by Chris Lowell's face and thought that it was used well. I say this because I found Chris well able to convey strong emotion just by looks in his eyes and the expression on his face. His eyes and face said it all and there was no need for dialog. I get why the film maker just had a lot of shots of his face. Those pictures were worth a thousand words. Yes, Chris Lowell has a pretty face, but if you look past the face to see what was beneath, you get the pain his character is in. I was deeply touched by his portrayal because it captured the deeper heart level of what was going on internally for the character. I think he carried the film and hope to see him much much more.

I found the movie thought provoking. I didn't enjoy his relationships that didn't work. Yet one lady encouraged him to be more and another one encouraged him to be himself, despite his success in a position with her dad. What I enjoyed was that it made me think about the importance of doing what we desire, rather than what we're good at or what we're successful at. I also didn't mind that there were lots of close ups of Mr Beautiful. I didn't find it too much since he was easy on the eyes. I also thought they did a nice job of transitioning the main character's image from a student to a businessman. I didn't think it was a great movie but it does have an important message. It was timely for me. The movie kept my attention and got the point across.

There is one thing about this flick that ruined the whole movie for me! Why? Oh, Why? Did Maggie Kiley use so many close-ups of Chris Lowell's face? It's like every 8 minutes --- close-up. Does Ms Kiley have a 'thing' for Lowell's face? Am I the only one to notice this weird obsession from start to finish? Actually the plot gets difficult to follow because Lowell's face is constantly taking over the story. I get the message - he's young, confused, thinks he's in love, and like most people finding direction and focus in ones life is not easy. This would have been a superb story had Maggie Kiley stuck with the conscience direction of 'the boy'. Instead she plastered his face on screen at every chance. It got on my nerve's! So to sum up this review - if you want a shallow story floating around a guy's pretty face - this is the flick for you!

What a load of kak, yet have to see worse than this!

This movie is going to reach the stars, and they have only just set out. "The Boy" is on his journey, and seems to make the right decisions at just the right times, even though at the time they seem so wrong, and unplanned. I once had a Charlotte, and I lost her, I will always long for mine, and according to this movie things can work out, but I would need to have found my Lita, the heart, and soul of this movie really. The real girl, the best line from Lita "Growing on your own always seems to involve being depressed." yeah that one knows stuff. I know I have let plenty of those slip past. This is a fabulous story that is filmed beautifully, and acted with full intent, and love. Each character brings so much to this young man's life, even if they are only in his life for such a short time. I really Enjoyed this movie, I liked the way that time passed with you noticing the technology, and rest of the little minutia that change like the seasons that flash by so quickly. I would recommend this film to anyone. There is nothing dark, or dirty, and the language is all pretty PG. This is simply a love story, and a really good one.

People (myself included) often hear the word "existentialist" and start thinking about dark, brooding, nihilistic philosophies amounting to something like "life sucks and then you die." Sure, that's a rich tradition amongst existentialists, but there's another side of the coin. The core theme of existentialism is the idea that we exist in an unfathomable universe without any predetermined right/wrong, and it is up to each of us to determine for ourselves what right/wrong is. That's what "Brightest Star" tackles in the guise of a romance about a guy trying to win back his ex-soulmate. It uses a poignant, recurring metaphor of the stars. The guy goes through life believing that "the brightest star" will one day appear and show him exactly what to do. But for some reason that star eludes him. If you go into this expecting a standard romcom, you'll phase out by the 2nd act. If you're looking for a tidy Hollywood story with an eventful plot and bang finish, you'll end up hurling your popcorn at the screen. But if you're up for a challenging look at "finding your way" in love, life and logic, then this film delivers. Some films are like freight trains, picking up momentum toward a singular destination. Other films take a deliberately wandering approach, with frequent jumps in the timeline, or episodic events that seem unrelated to each other. "Brightest Star" falls squarely into the 2nd category with the likes of other fragmented, soul-searching films like "(500) Days of Summer", "Forrest Gump" and even "Citizen Kane". This is quite a bold directorial debut from Maggie Kelly, certainly not designed to be a crowd pleaser, but for those of you who stray off the beaten path into unwritten territory (like the main character who, if you notice, doesn't even have a name) then this film is for you.