Set Fire to the Stars (2014)

Set Fire to the Stars Poster

An aspiring poet in 1950s New York has his ordered world shaken when he embarks on a week-long retreat to save his hell raising hero, Dylan Thomas.

Film Overview
"Set Fire to the Stars" is a biographical drama movie directed by Andy Goddard in 2014. The film narrates the unknown and tempestuous relationship in between famed poet Dylan Thomas and the New York scholastic John Brinnin. The exceptional efficiencies of Elijah Wood as Brinnin and Celyn Jones as Thomas, who co-wrote the script with Goddard, supply weight to this intimate expedition of relationship, affection, envy, and the imaginative procedure.

Plot Summary
"Set Fire to destiny" opens in 1950, as John Brinnin, a poetry professor, encourages his superiors at the university to invite the well-known Welsh poet Dylan Thomas for a series of readings in the United States. Brinnin is an ardent admirer of Thomas' work, but their conference in New York shows to be a shock; Thomas is a careless alcoholic who stirs turmoil wherever he goes.

Despite Thomas's unpredictability, Brinnin is determined to make the tour a success. He brings Thomas to his household's remote cabin in the hope that the peace and harmony will sober the poet and help him prepare for his readings. Nevertheless, Thomas shows resistant to this form of control also, causing a series of disputes between the two men.

Styles and Interpretation
The contrasting personalities between the two males are central to the movie's story. Brinnin is depicted as a restrained, rather uptight figure, having a hard time to keep Thomas under control, while Thomas is portrayed as a totally free spirit, eccentric, and often self-destructive. Nevertheless, over the course of the movie, their vibrant changes and we see Thomas' vulnerability and Brinnin's stifled aspirations.

The movie likewise explores the style of hero-worship turned sour, as Brinnin has a hard time to reconcile his image of Thomas as a genius poet with the reality of his chaotic persona, making the film a cautionary tale about the risks of idealizing artists.

Visual and Aesthetic Consideration
The film welcomes a striking black and white visual, visually referencing the age in which the motion picture is set and permitting the audience to focus on the complex character characteristics. Goddard also uses close-ups extremely successfully throughout, adding creative touches to highlight the mental intensity behind the relationship between the two main characters.

Vital Reception
"Set Fire to destiny" got a mixed vital response, but was applauded for its efficiencies and sophisticated, compelling characterization. Critics applauded the film for its expedition of the damaging side of art and the frailties of geniuses. Nevertheless, they also noted the film may appeal primarily to those with an interest in Dylan Thomas or the world of poetry in general.

Conclusion
In essence, "Set Fire to destiny", while focusing on the iconic figure of Dylan Thomas, is more a research study of the deeply complex relationship in between Brinnin and Thomas. Its black and white chiaroscuro visuals, intense efficiencies, and deep psychological expedition make it an engaging watch, specifically for viewers with an interest in literature and the mystique surrounding the life of artists.

Top Cast

  • Elijah Wood (small)
    Elijah Wood
    John M. Brinnin
  • Celyn Jones (small)
    Celyn Jones
    Dylan Thomas
  • Kelly Reilly (small)
    Kelly Reilly
    Caitlin
  • Steven Mackintosh (small)
    Steven Mackintosh
    Jack
  • Shirley Henderson (small)
    Shirley Henderson
    Shirley
  • Kevin Eldon (small)
    Kevin Eldon
    Stanley
  • Andrew Bicknell (small)
    Andrew Bicknell
  • Adam Gillen (small)
    Adam Gillen
  • Nicola Duffett (small)
    Nicola Duffett
  • Steve Speirs (small)
    Steve Speirs
  • Ken Drury