Delayed Reaction: Wuthering Heights

Premise: A young orphan is taken in by a family and falls for the daughter, only to leave when the father dies and the cruel bother takes over the farm. The orphan returns years later, hoping it isn't too late to be with the daughter.

 

Wuthering Heights is a classic novel I know next to nothing about. I recognize the name Heathcliff, and that's it. I haven't even picked up an odd reference over the years. I'm a blank slate, which is normally a nice way to come into a movie adaptation, although, I get the sense that there were some stylistic choices in this adaptation that would've been nice to compare against.

 

I'm so glad I didn't check out the production history for this one beforehand. It started off with Natalie Portman and Michael Fassbender* attached around 2008. A little old for the roles, but I wouldn't've complained. It then switched to Abbie Cornish, Ed Westwick, and Gemma Arterton at different points. Finally, it ended up with Kaya Scodelario (who I've since come to like well enough in other movies) and James Howson, who still doesn't even have a Wikipedia page. I'll leave it at that. Scodelario and Howson are fine in the roles though. Apparently, they are more age appropriate anyway.

 

*I find it funny that Fassbender ended up being in Jane Eyre the same year that this finally came out instead.

 

My first instinct is to praise the cinematography of this film because of how perpetually overcast and drab it makes the English countryside look. Then again, it's not that hard to shoot England as soggy and grey-skied. It's an interesting choice to strip Bronte's story of any of the romanticism. I suspect the novel didn't use the word "dreary" to describe many of the locations. All that said, the movie looks good and distinctive. I sometimes like when filmmakers make a point to remind audiences that it kind of sucked to live back then. I like my central heating and electricity, thank you very much.

 

I think this Wuthering Heights works better as a reimagining than as a first taste of the story of Heathcliff and Cathy. This movie is pretty slow and bleak. I can see how it would work well playing off the version of the story someone already knows. It's like someone slowing the song "Jolene" down to 1/4 speed. If that was the first way I heard that song, I'd be like "What is this unpleasant song and why do people like it?" The same goes with this version of Wuthering Heights.

 

Then again. I've never read the book. Maybe it is also an emotional slog.

 

Verdict: Weakly Don't Recommend