Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows Shop News Showtimes

Set Fire to the Stars

Released Jun 12, 2015 1h 36m Biography Drama List
58% Tomatometer 43 Reviews 39% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
In 1950, poet John Brinnin (Elijah Wood) invites Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (Celyn Jones) to New York and Connecticut, where he tries to detoxify the heavy-drinking writer.
Watch on Fandango at Home Rent Now

Where to Watch

Set Fire to the Stars

Set Fire to the Stars

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Set Fire to the Stars doesn't quite do justice to its legendary real-life protagonist, but thanks to Celyn Jones' spirited performance, it occasionally comes close.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View All (43) Critics Reviews
Gary Goldstein Los Angeles Times Gorgeous, evocative and well performed ... Jun 18, 2015 Full Review Joe McGovern Entertainment Weekly The film wallows too much in its subject's glumness, but it comes alive whenever TV actor and co-writer Celyn Jones, whose only previous film credit is 2005's Lassie, plays Thomas as a big shaggy dog. Rated: B- Jun 13, 2015 Full Review Odie Henderson RogerEbert.com As tedious as "Set Fire to the Stars" gets, it remains watchable courtesy of the stunning black and white cinematography by Chris Seager. Rated: 2/4 Jun 12, 2015 Full Review Cameron Ward One Room With A View Summoning performances that saturate the screen, and dialogue that does just as much, Set Fire to the Stars proves to be as ambiguously affecting as its tortured source. Rated: 4/5 Jun 15, 2019 Full Review Ed Frankl CineVue This melancholic picture, filmed in South Wales, should make a fine addition to contemporary reflections on the famously roguish poet. Rated: 3/5 Apr 3, 2019 Full Review Hilary A White Sunday Independent (Ireland) Shot in jazzy black and white by cinematographer Chris Seager, and thundering with taste and tempo, Andy Goddard's film just sings. Jun 6, 2016 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (11) audience reviews
alastair m As much as I would wish for a biopic of the rambunctious Welsh poet, this chapter of Dylan's life is gorgeously portrayed by Celyn Jones with a remarkably vivid screenplay that draws you into a world which astonishingly, was shot in a mere 18 days in Swansea, Wales. Bravo. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Excellent film! Celyn Jones portrays Dylan Thomas perfectly!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/23/23 Full Review Audience Member This is a thoughtful film about a complex poet who struggled with his bad-boy reputation. I went to see it one evening out of interest in Dylan Thomas. The performance has stuck with me more than most films iï¿ 1/2(TM)ve seen. Elijah Wood plays John Brinnen, the academic who brings Thomas to the US, and struggles to contain a star that is burning brightly, but not for much longer. Itï¿ 1/2(TM)s a sensitive performance from Wood. Celyn Jones plays Thomas, and wrote the screenplay. Thomas was a larger than life character who played up a celebrity character the world wanted to see. Jones plays this part well, but it is always a struggle to play your heroes, especially in biopics where we can be confined by the settled dust. This is a film made on a small budget, but it has big heart. It has a Hollywood star, very much outside Hollywood, involved in playing the part of someone trying to deal with the clash between reality and celebrity. It has some good character performances, particularly by Shirley Henderson and Kelly Reilly. Iï¿ 1/2(TM)m a fan of Dylan Thomas, and wasnï¿ 1/2(TM)t sure iï¿ 1/2(TM)d Enjoy this, but was surprised as it focussed on a specific event in time and space where his world was falling apart. I rarely watch a film in the cinema more than once, but Iï¿ 1/2(TM)ve seen this twice. The first time because it was about Dylan Thomas; the second because it was an interesting film. I recommend it, and watch it a couple of times. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Audience Member One of my favourite films. An unexpected joy. Wonderful acting, writing, direction, cinematography & a fabulous soundtrack Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member Doesn't Exactly Wash Well. The Stylised Telling Of Poetry Mixed With Thought-Pieces On Life, The Manoosha Of It All, Does Well.. But It Is A Slothful Blur Of Mish-Mashed Ideas. It Serves Well As Fodder For Film-School Analytics With Little To Go On Other Than Camera-Work & Editing, As The Acting Isn't Noteworthy At All. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/21/23 Full Review Audience Member Set Fire to the Stars FullMovie Download Now => http://zalva-cinema.cf/play.php?id=3455740 Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/21/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Set Fire to the Stars

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

Howl 63% 58% Howl Love & Mercy 89% 85% Love & Mercy TRAILER for Love & Mercy Jimi: All Is by My Side 65% 36% Jimi: All Is by My Side The Dark Horse 97% 77% The Dark Horse TRAILER for The Dark Horse My Week With Marilyn 83% 71% My Week With Marilyn Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis In 1950, poet John Brinnin (Elijah Wood) invites Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (Celyn Jones) to New York and Connecticut, where he tries to detoxify the heavy-drinking writer.
Director
Andy Goddard
Producer
Andy Evans, Andrew Riach
Screenwriter
Andy Goddard, Celyn Jones
Distributor
Strand Releasing
Genre
Biography, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 12, 2015, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 20, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$4.3K
Runtime
1h 36m
Most Popular at Home Now