Can't quite put my finger on...

Perhaps it is better because the people were real- not fiction.

"I'm with the Government and I'm here to help you." me, every d@mn day of my life

Here's my take on what makes this so superior. It doesn't follow one single cliche. It's uniquely done from the cinematography to the musical score to the cast and script. It's full of so many tiny details that raise it up, that to explain it can be difficult to express. The laundry drying on the hill. The surrounding townspeople and scenery. The curtains that blow gently in toward Fanny as she lies in her bed. Keats climbing to the top of the tree and lying on the branches. The beautiful flowering field where Fanny lies. The butterflies. The family kitchen. The scene when Fanny sets the table. The rough bachelor quarters of the Keats and Mr. Brown. The musical evening in which the men sing.

And I haven't even gotten into the acting and the dialogue, or the costumes, or even the characters. This is really a rarity of a well done film.

"I'd never ask you to trust me. It's the cry of a guilty soul."

You liked it because Jane Campion is a talented directer who has a great team working with her. She wanted to do a 'visual poem' of Keat's life and I think she suceeded quite well in that. Your taste is not low at all. It sounds like to me you prefer 'period piece' films and if they are done well, they can take your breath away!

I think she's the saddest girl ever to hold a martini.

it has fewer gimmicks while being matter-of-fact and gentle/subtle. it's jane campion's direction and great respect for keats' negative capability.

I noticed a little thing, that during the intimate scenes the audio was heightened (and not drowned out by the soundtrack like in most films), so you could hear the rustle of the sleeves brushing, the sound of skin touching skin, the sound of their breathing etc. I think that actually made it all the more realistic, intimate and beautiful.