Set Fire to the Stars

Director: Andy Goddard
Year Released: 2014
Rating: 0.5

Professor John M. Brinnin (Elijah Wood) brings vivacious, sometimes vicious Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (Celyn Jones) to the United States in order to give a series of poetry recitations, except Thomas' drinking and cavorting are a major hassle (Thomas also appears to have a disdain for academic institutions and their 'stuffiness'). The setup could not be more rudimentary: Thomas raises a ruckus (and actually speaks in verse) and meek Brinnin tries to keep him under control (and fails) while simpering Jack (Steven Mackintosh) appears (or calls) at opportune times to taunt Brinnin for not being able to reign in his gifted boar. It doesn't so much "conclude" as "stop" ... with some undesirable 'artistic' flourishes right at the end that amount to nothing (various characters speaking lines from Thomas' poems, Thomas having visions of his wife appearing before him). This does a disservice to Thomas, too: his words are better transmitted from page to reader than via this effort.