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One of the most memorable moments in my days as an English major was the time a professor played a recording of Dylan Thomas reciting his celebrated poem “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night”—a recording so haunting that I can still hear it, all these years later. And writer/director Andy Goddard brings that troubled, trouble-making character back to life in Set Fire to the Stars.
This poetic biopic follows professor John M. Brinnin (Elijah Wood) as he prepares to take legendary poet Dylan Thomas (Celyn Jones) on his first speaking tour in the States in 1950. Though he’s been warned about the Welshman’s unsavory reputation, John doesn’t believe that he could be nearly as rowdy as the rumors suggest—a belief that the poet disproves after just one night of drunken carousing. So, with his career—and his reputation—on the line, John removes the poet from the city and shelters him at his family’s cabin in Connecticut as they await their next engagement.
The Dylan Thomas that I learned about in my college literature classes was a bold, brash, and boisterous character—and Jones does an excellent job of capturing the poet’s hard-partying persona. Wherever he goes, trouble is sure to follow—whether it’s a bar in New York City, a small-town diner, or the hallowed private meeting rooms of Yale. There’s something about him that attracts the average, everyday people on the street (or in the pub) and repels the straight-laced academics who try to fit him into their nice, neat box of literary greatness, while failing to understand that true artists are rarely nice or neat. And that haunting voice from my lit class recording? He recreates the tone and intonation with shocking precision.
But, of course, there’s more to the character than just his notorious revelry. He’s absolutely maddening yet irresistibly charming—and, deep down, ultimately troubled. John realizes from the beginning that the poet’s behavior is reckless and unhealthy. But it’s also a way to escape—to keep him from facing the things that he fears the most. And in the moments when he doesn’t have a drink in his hand, he’s often desperate and anxious.
Admittedly, though, the film probably won’t really appeal to those who haven’t studied Thomas and his work. He’s an intriguing character, but the film doesn’t fill in many details. It’s a beautiful, poetic bio—presented in crisp black-and-white—but it merely seems to scratch the surface, suggesting that there’s more to explore without really exploring it. And as it makes its way to the end of the characters’ time together, it slowly unravels, simply fading away instead of raging against the dying of the light.
Set Fire to the Stars offers a brief and sometimes distant glimpse into the life of a legendary artist. If you’ve studied Thomas, it’s sure to bring back fond memories of old English lit classes—but it will most likely leave you feeling less than satisfied.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
