Style and humour in 'Bright Young Things'

Bright Young Things

Director: Stephen Fry

Cast: Emily Mortimer, Stephen Campbell Moore, Dan Aykroyd, Jim Broadbent, Stockard Channing.

Cert: 15PG

Writer/director Stephen Fry offers up an intelligent comedy with a stellar cast in this adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s novel Vile Bodies (originally called Bright Young Things). Set between the World Wars and amid the beautiful people of London society, Bright Young Things follows the infamy and misfortunes of struggling writer Adam (Campbell Moore), his young sweetheart Nina (Mortimer) and their brash, almost self-destructive, circle of friends.

Fry directs with a vibrant palette of colours, bringing out the decadence of the era which bears more than a little resemblance to today’s gaggle of pseudo-celebs and their drug-fuelled wanton ways. Put it this way, if Heat magazine had existed in 1930’s London, these Bright Young Things would surely have been its cover stars. Ultimately, however, the film fails to impress as much as it should. Perhaps there are too many bit players, or maybe Fry failed to deliver an adaptation true to Waugh’s more cynical ending. Squabbles aside, Fry’s film is a beautifully observed period romantic comedy played out with style and humour by a note-perfect cast.

Star Rating: 3/5