Emily Bronte’s classic novel, Wuthering Heights, tells a story of generational trauma, hate spawned from love, and class dynamics. Emerald Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights” is a sultry period piece about two toxic people.
The reason for the quote marks on the title for this new Valentines Day release at least doesn’t hide the fact that it is not a real adaptation of the book. Fennell has said that her movie is a version that is not real, but what she remembers happening or wishes had happened. Adaptations do this all of the time, but it appears that she stopped reading this book a third of the way through.
This version shows a young Cathy being introduced to a new ward to the family, whom she names Heathcliff. They are bonded immediately despite their standing. Flash forward potentially 10-20 years later and Cathy (Margot Robbie) is hoping to be courted by the neighbor. Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi) flees his life of servitude in agony. But their “love” brings them back to each other, but their life choices are clearly not going to work out for them.
I could easily make this a comparison between the book and the movie, but it’s well documented that it’s far from the director’s intention to be similar. I’ll stick with the movie as it is.
First off, it’s gorgeous. The villas, the outdoor shots, and the cinematography are standouts. I was really impressed with the production design. Honestly, the movie is so moody and haunting and so much of that comes down to what you’re actually viewing beyond the paper-thin characters.
The score is decent and fitting, but as with most of this movie, there’s a lack of subtlety within. Needle drops of Charli XCX (who I always think of in a British period piece) happen frequently. They fit the vibe that Fennell has created, but the vibe and music are immediately forgettable.
If you’ve seen Fennell’s earlier movies, you know that she’s a sensationalist filmmaker. Saltburn was essentially made for the TikTok generation and wanted to use shock to create word of mouth. Thankfully, she shows restraint in “Wuthering Heights.” Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of sex scenes including a rainy montage, but there is actually zero nudity. There are just enough allusions to sexuality throughout, to still remind you that these two characters have an unreasonable amount of passion for each other.
Casting two of God’s favorites, Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi is not a risky choice in this toxic romance. They don’t really resemble two nearly 20 year olds. They are both fantastic actors with plenty of chemistry, but 3/4 of the movie is just them telling each other “I love you” ad nauseam. They gloss over the reasons why they would love each other, but they just want to say it repeatedly. It makes the script feel weak and as shallow as teenagers who think they’re in love because they’re in love with being in love.
In that way, it might be clever that these two characters have nothing behind their love. They are both despicable people. Their love only hurts each other and those around them. Now, I really like morally grey characters that are so well written that you can’t help but want them to succeed. Cathy and Heathcliff are just awful. They deserve each other. I love the risks that a movie like this requires, but when I couldn’t wait to get to the end because they’ve never changed, it’s a problem.
I didn’t hate “Wuthering Heights.” It’s a bit trashy, but there’s some style to it. It engrossed me with its mood and allowed for some escapism. But overall, I hated these two characters and wanted to see them both fail in life. This hardly felt romantic and much like when I saw the movie Gone Girl, it made me concerned about ever falling in love again. C-
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