Simply Perfect

Pretty Good

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

The film Bright Young Things, adapted from Evelyne Waugh's acclaimed fable; Vile Bodies is manic in its pace. As such it is reminiscent of His Girl Friday (1940) with its legendary speed of comedy delivery. The difference with His Girl Friday the speed of the comedy delivery is applied to loquaciousness with a bit of slap stick. Director Stephen Fry of Bright Young Things on the other hand utilises speed to articulate the decadence of the period. As such he is affective in his endeavour of making his point of a decadent aristocracy.The depressing aspect of the film is that the aristocracy are portrayed as decadent party animals, unlike the poor who in their pursuit of escaping their worries are (in today's post modern Britain) often labelled as 'feckless' by the tabloid press. But as the impoverished poor struggled to feed themselves across Europe during the inter-war period, the aristocracy idly carried on without social conscience or obligation to responsibility. Such decadence at the expense of the poor contributed towards the rise of extreme politics in Europe during the 1920s.Contributing to the masses' public perception of the idle rich decadence of the inter-war period was the tabloid press. The press baron in the film is shown as suppressing the realities of the issues affecting the ordinary people of Britain for profit, and thereby concealing truth.While Fry adeptly captures the decadence of the 20s in Bright Young Things, Peter O'Toole steels the film with his outstanding satirising of the stereotypical English eccentric. As the eccentric of the upper classes O'Toole's character Colnol Blout is the epitome of English two faced diplomacy of the ruling classes. The example being when he writes a cheque out for £1000 to help his prospective son-in-law to marry his daughter, when he signs it in the name of Charlie Chaplin. A typical English snub no less!Excellent film, well acted and brilliantly directed.

This is a wonderful evocation of the lost world of pre-War London Bohemian high society, based on the novel 'Vile Bodies' by Evelyn Waugh. It is of course intended to be a pastiche, and Stephen Fry's ability to stop it every time just as it is about to stray into 'high camp' is a model of directorial restraint, with actors who could easily all have become out of control if given free rein. One of the most spectacular performances in the film is that by Fenella Woolgar, whose portrayal of an elitist aristocratic Bohemian who eventually goes mad is done to utter perfection. Fry was able to do this film and get these amazing performances because he really does know this kind of people, and he and his actor friends (yes, they were all friends, including Sir John Mills who does not speak) were able to fine-tune the performances to absolute perfection. The old saying 'It takes one to know one' can in this case be altered to: 'It takes one to show one.' Fry does not hesitate to show the behavioural excesses, revolting hypocrisy, and sickening aloofness and indifference to reality of the 'bright young things' in this film. It is a morality tale, but thoroughly entertaining and brilliantly realised. A triumph, frankly.

I have not read Waugh in years, and while this adaptation made me recall how much I enjoyed "Vile Bodies," the film does not do justice to the novel. The film is muddled and episodic, and requires the audience to do too much work. There is none of the subtlety here of a Woody Allen, for example, to reward us for remaining engaged amid the sloppy editing and choppy pacing. In fact, the excellent cast seems wasted, as does the novel itself. The movie brightens up during fleeting and sparkling party scenes that make us feel we are in London at a certain time -- though it's not clear what time that is. This adaptation pushes the hedonism of the 20s forward to the 30s (I believe the novel was published around 1930, whereas the movie seems to be set in the 30s). And the jazz score only reminded me what a cultural backwater London was at this time, relative to New York, where the Jazz Age and the real parties were in full swing. So, it doesn't work as a character-driven drama, and it's not a compelling portrait of the age. It is, however, perhaps worth seeing for some performances. We do not see enough of James McAvoy and Alec Newman, who are excellent. What a strange coincidence that both of these actors played the leads in the SciFi Channel's mini-series adaptations of the Dune novels.

The best thing about Bright Young Things is the brilliant and fun atmosphere that's created. Writer/ Director Stephen Fry has established himself as a brilliant talent. His camera work and acting direction sets a perfect stage to seeing London in the 30's.The movie is adapted from the novel "Viles Bodies" that tells the story of a writer who reports the celebrity gossip to the local newspaper. The movie is filled with sex, scandal, and celebrity. The film brings London to life and makes you wish you were a part of this elite circle even from the opening credits. Unlike many movies, this movie's flaws will start you in the face while you watch them. The story doesn't fit together perfectly, which is usually the case when adapting classic literature. But in the end, I'm not sure you'll mind it. It's too gitty to focus on things like that.The film has two unforgettable attributes which I won't go into depth about or spoil. Just look for Stockard Channing.