Total Film
Think My Week With Marilyn but with Dylan Thomas and shot in luscious black and white and you've got some measure of Andy Goddard's debut feature.
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Set Fire to the Stars
Independent, black and white drama about Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, focusing on a week in his life as he prepares for a series of performed readings in the US. Elijah Wood plays American poet and critic John Malcolm Brinnin, while Celyn Jones is Thomas. Features an original score by Gruff Rhys from Super Furry Animals.
2014Rating: M, Offensive language and sexual references97 minsUK
DramaTrue Story & Biography
- Director:
- Andy Goddard (feature debut)
- Writer:
- Andy GoddardCelyn Jones
- Cast:
- Elijah WoodCelyn JonesKelly ReillySteven MackintoshShirley HendersonKevin Eldon
Set Fire to the Stars | Reviews
58%43 reviewsRotten Tomatoes® Score
All reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Time Out
This ambitious low-budget Welsh drama never quite finds a way to make its emotional drama matter much to the audience.
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The Times
Goddard makes atmospheric use of black-and-white cinematography and 1950s settings, but aside from one scene of drunken confession by the fireside in a Connecticut cabin, the story fails to engage.
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The Guardian
It's a good-looking film, shot expressively in black-and-white, but in some ways it's like a sketch for a stage play.
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Empire Magazine
There are solid turns from the leads but the drama never quite catches ablaze in the way you'd think the fiery Thomas would have wanted.
Full reviewSet Fire to the Stars | Release Details
Set Fire to the Stars is available to stream in New Zealand now on Google Play and Apple TV and Beamafilm.