“WUTHERING HEIGHTS” had me in a chokehold until the closing credits. From the romantic, red-hot chemistry between Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, to the stunning costumes and set design, this movie is catnip for women (and don’t worry, men will like it too). Though very different from the source material, writer/director Emerald Fennell leans into the sexy, gothic atmosphere of 1800s English moors for a wind-swept tale of lust, love, and twisted revenge, set to the richly textured soundtrack from Charlie XCX.
Loosely based on a portion of Emily Brontë’s 1847 classic novel, “WUTHERING HEIGHTS” focuses on the relationship between Catherine “Cathy” (Robbie) and Heathcliff (Elordi) from youth to adulthood. As a young girl, Cathy lives with her alcoholic father in the moors of Yorkshire, England. One day, her father brings home a young boy that he has rescued from the streets, telling Cathy the boy can be her pet. The two become fast friends, with Cathy naming him Heathcliff after her deceased brother. Now inseparable, the duo spend most of their days playing outside and Cathy even tries to teach him how to read, with the help of her companion Nelly (Hong Chau).
But as time goes on, their relationship begins to have more of a romantic angle, especially when Heathcliff saves Cathy from a beating by her father, instead taking the punishment on himself. As they reach adulthood, the attraction between them grows stronger, but Cathy’s father’s drinking and gambling have left the estate in disrepair. Cathy needs to marry rich to ensure the security of herself and the household, and Heathcliff has nothing to his name. Now Cathy must decide if her love of Heathcliff is worth risking the financial security she knows will come with marrying someone of high wealth and status.
So much of the film (and its press tour) live and die with the chemistry between Elordi and Robbie and needless to say, that raw, unbridled passion is what will really draw you in. They are able to make what some could be perceived as insufferable characters actually likable—I was actually rooting for their extremely toxic relationship to work out in the end. And I felt a little disgusted at myself for doing so. Much should also be said for the fantastic performance by Alison Oliver, who steals every scene she’s in as Isabella, a future pawn in Heathcliff and Cathy’s psychological gamesmanship. Oliver’s ability to convey Isabella’s schoolgirl innocence makes Heathcliff’s turn that much more wicked… something even the biggest Elordi fangirls can’t make excuses for (believe me, I tried).
It’s fair to criticize the film for its straying from the source material and rejecting many of the themes that book readers respect about Bronte’s masterpiece. Admittedly, WUTHERING HEIGHTS isn’t a sacred text to me, so I was not as bothered by such a large change. Especially because going into the film, I knew it was going to be different. Fennell was clear from early on that this adaptation of the story was going to diverge substantially from the source material; this is why the title intentionally has quotations. Instead of focusing on the changes, I enjoyed the movie for what it was, a visually striking, toxic romance. I just want to clearly caution that those expecting a strict book adaptation need to know what they are going into and prepare accordingly.
I knew I was going to like “WUTHERING HEIGHTS,” but I didn’t know just how much I was going to love it. More than anything, the film (and its press tour) started to slightly conjure feelings from my TITANIC-obsessed adolescence, where I watched the film over and over in theaters and devoured anything the actors did to promote the film. Will I watch this film as many times as I did TITANIC? No, but I will definitely be seeing it again in theaters… and I implore you to see it in theaters as well. The brilliant score, gorgeous cinematography, and Elordi and Robbie’s beautiful faces should be enjoyed on the loudest, crispest screen you can find.
My Review: A