A not-as-critical-as-I-could-have-been review of “Wuthering Heights”
(Left) Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi playing Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, respectively, in “Wuthering Heights
Marketed as this year’s most epic love story, “Wuthering Heights” has taken the world by its corset, which is a joke you’ll understand if you’ve seen the movie.
Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi starred in the retelling of Emily Brontë’s 1847 “Wuthering Heights.” The story revolves around Heathcliff, played by Elordi, a boy adopted and raised by the Earnshaw family, and Catherine Earnshaw, played by Robbie, the young girl he grows up with. The two are inseparable, but things change when Catherine marries Edgar Linton, played by Shazad Latif, their wealthy neighbor, and Heathcliff vows to destroy both the Earnshaws and Lintons for separating him from Cathy.
The book is most certainly not about love or romance. It’s about obsession and, honestly, an intense amount of mental illness all around. The movie, however, was a tale of star-crossed lovers who missed their chance. Their efforts to change their futures were in vain, and their horrible decisions lead to unnecessary tragedy.
Robbie and Elordi’s acting was phenomenal. Robbie played spoiled and naive Cathy perfectly. Elordi is perfect for brooding roles like this, as seen in his recent performances in “Frankenstein” and “Euphoria.”
The first bit of the movie focuses on young Cathy, played by Charlotte Mellington, and Heathcliff, played by Owen Cooper. The casting was spot on as the actors looked just like their older counterparts.
Now, I’m going to try to explain the adaptation inaccuracies with minimal spoilers, but be warned.
The most immediate difference is that Heathcliff is white in the movie. Book Heathcliff was described as a “dark-skinned, gypsy child,” and that is a huge part of his character. His race adds the important subtext of class inequality and racial injustice that Brontë was trying to convey. It’s also why Catherine’s elder brother Hindley abuses Heathcliff, which leads to the next inaccuracy.
Hindley Earnshaw, a major character in the novel, is nowhere to be found in the film. He is the driving force behind Heathcliff’s abuse, mental devolution and search for revenge.
Additionally, Heathcliff and Cathy never even get together in the book. They kiss one time. I won’t spoil it, but they definitely do more than kissing in the movie.
It should also be noted that Heathcliff and Catherine are not in love, and are not good people. In fact, in the book, the Earnshaws are horrible people and mentally ill. The Lintons’ only crime was moving next door.
Walking into this movie, I was almost a little scared. All I heard online was how it was the most scandalous, Not Safe For Work movie one could ever watch. In actuality, it was no more unseemly than any other movie nowadays. So, fear not.
All in all, the movie was pretty good. It was fun, the cinematography was incredible and it was just raunchy enough. Robbie and Elordi are gorgeous and have great chemistry. Charlie XCX was an odd choice for music, but it worked out okay.
If you’re watching for a historically accurate book adaptation, you will be sorely disappointed. But if you go for a fun movie that’s based on some book written by a lady who died a long time ago, it’s not too bad.
Categories: Arts & Entertainment
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