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Emerald Fennell's long-awaited "Wuthering Heights" adaptation has now hit theatres this past weekend. Yes, if you noticed, the official title of the film is in quotation marks. Based on Emily Brontë's classic novel of the same name, this isn't the Wuthering Heights you know. Instead, it's a sort of retelling with Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi taking on the roles of the doomed lovers.
As an adaptation, it is inevitable that comparisons will be made to the original work, even if it is intended to stand alone as a story. As such, the quotation marks in the title are warranted, as this film has little to do with the original book. A feature that would not warrant a direct complaint, as I do not believe there is anything inherently wrong with retelling a story, but the issue with this film is that it scraps the features and conflicts that made the original engaging and interesting.
Fennell remembers this story through teenage eyes, like a game of broken telephone with her younger self. Romance is front and centre of her version, with Catherine and Heathcliff playing the roles of the hopeless lovers. Unfortunately, that appears to be the extent of their characters.
Recall, if you are able, your high school English class. From the beginning, both Catherine and Heathcliff are cruel, obsessive people. They are true Byronic archetypes whose malice causes hurt and consequences to themselves and those around them. They face opposition from figures such as Catherine's brother, who hates Heathcliff and drives his desire for revenge. These acts impact those around them, even into the next generation, driving their obsession even further and beyond the grave. All of these aspects are conveniently removed by Fennell to make room for her ideal love story.
Fennell treats her characters like a bridge from beat to beat, and without much purpose other than hitting each dramatic moment she envisions. Without their internal and external conflicts, Catherine and Heathcliff do not have much going for them. Despite being the centre of the story, they seemingly have no stakes in the events. They do not change, grow, face meaningful consequences for their actions, and have little agency outside of their pursuit of love.
The story follows the general idea of the novel, although with the significant aforementioned changes. What it fails to capture is why exactly these things are happening, and how they impact Catherine and Heathcliff. I did find Elordi's performance to be the most compelling of the duo. His physicality and expressions are strong and controlled, doing some significant heavy lifting and adding some depth to Heathcliff's yearning. He can stand alongside Laurence Olivier, Timothy Dalton, and Ralph Fiennes with purpose for his portrayal.
The visuals of the film, however, are stunning. Production Designer Suzie Davies, Costume Designer Jacqueline Durran, and frankly, the entirety of the Art Department, produce exceptional work. Director of Photography Linus Sandgren captures all of it with incredible scale. This is easily the strongest aspect of the film, and one I would not be surprised to have mentioned come awards season. The world is contained and aesthetically concise, and provides a majestic backdrop for the story.
As for the music, with original songs by Charli xcx, I don't have much to comment on. The score existed purely in the background with little emotion given to the events on screen. It doesn't add to what is happening, nor does it distract from it. Charli xcx's songs were played as dramatic stings, with seemingly autotuned vocals for each piece, with little else to distinguish them from each other. They were successful in their drama for the moment, telling the audience that something happened, and serves its purpose as no more than that.
"Wuthering Heights" is safe. It is an easy bet sure to satisfy those seeking yet another romantic drama. Although its idea of romanticism is showing characters having sex, even having a literal sex montage, it is ultimately harmless and inoffensive. To the average moviegoer, it is there for you watch mindlessly and to hum and haw at the moments of intimacy. For the English major, this will be the opposite. A retelling of a classic novel someone once heard from your father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate.
