Wuthering Heights: A Temu Quality Movie

Margot Robbie as Catherine Earnshaw in “Wuthering Heights.” (Warner Bros. Pictures/TNS)

Have you ever bought something from Temu that looks great in the picture but is cheap in real life? Even if the product is functional, it has an artificial look to it. Now imagine that with a film. It’s Emerald Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights.”

Fennell’s films have always been a source of controversy. She faced backlash for her portrayal of sexual assault in “Promising Young Woman” and for the weird sexual themes in “Saltburn.” I personally don’t like Fennell’s films, so I was a little nervous about “Wuthering Heights.” I knew it was going to be bad. But I hoped it would still be entertaining. Unfortunately, it was just awful. 

My primary issue lies with the casting. Emerald Fennell offered Jacob Elordi the role of Heathcliff. In the novel, Heathcliff is clearly described as a person of color. His exact race is ambiguous, but in chapter one, he’s described as a “dark-skinned gypsy.” Edgar Linton also referred to Heathcliff as a “little Lascar, or an American or Spanish castaway.” The term “Lascar” was used to describe Indian or Southeast Asian sailors employed or trafficked on European ships.

Mr. Earnshaw also finds Heathcliff in Liverpool, which was a hub for the Atlantic slave trade in the late 18th century. Brontë also mentions that he didn’t speak English. All of these factors point to Heathcliff being a person of color.

Heathcliff’s race is an integral part of the story because the racism he faces hardens him and leads to his abusive behavior. Brontë’s novel delves into deep themes of generational trauma. Also, Catherine chose the blond, blue-eyed Edgar Linton over Heathcliff, not only because of his wealth, but because he was white. 

Fennell’s poor attempts at inclusion by casting Pakistani actor Shazad Latif as Edgar. Nelly is portrayed by Hong Chau, who is Thai. While it’s wonderful to have a diverse cast, Fennell’s motives didn’t seem pure, since she cast a white actor as a character who is canonically a person of color.

Margot Robbie was also not right for the role of Catherine either. Robbie helped produce the film, and after reading the script, she asked to play Catherine, despite the fact that she looked nothing like the character. In the book, Catherine was described as a sickly-looking brunette teenager. I didn’t mind that they aged her in the movie. It made sense since she was worried about being past marrying age. But she could’ve at least worn a brunette wig! 

I admire both Elordi and Robbie as actors, so I still looked forward to seeing how they would portray these characters. However, they lacked chemistry and emotion. The woman who made me sob my eyes out for Tonya Harding in “I, Tonya,” and the man who made me afraid of Nate Jacobs in “Euphoria” made me feel nothing.

The plot wasn’t any better. I wasn’t expecting accuracy, but Fennell cuts the plot in half. Did you know the story is supposed to continue after Catherine dies?

In an interview, Fennell openly admitted that she wasn’t trying to create an accurate adaptation of the novel. “You can’t adapt a book as dense and complicated and difficult as this book. I can’t say I’m making ‘Wuthering Heights.’ It’s not possible.” She goes on to say that this film is inspired by the version she remembers reading as a teenager. 

Fennell must have read a completely different book, because this movie was a BookTok smut on screen, and Brontë’s “Wuthering Heights” was not a romance novel. 

Heathcliff emotionally and physically abused Catherine. He also abused his wife, Isabella. In the film, Cathy and Heathcliff’s relationship barely scratches the surface of toxicity. And Fennell romanticized Heathcliff and Isabella’s relationship by making them be in a consensual BDSM dynamic.

I tried to separate this film from the book completely, hoping that it would be like a bad Netflix original I could laugh at. But it was incredibly soulless and boring. The long montages of Cathy and Heathcliff weren’t sexy; they felt forced. 

Many critics and consumers praised the costumes, but I was underwhelmed. I wasn’t hoping for historical accuracy, but to me, the costumes seemed just as soulless as the film itself. The shiny fabrics, the unfortunate amount of plastic, and gaudy necklaces reflected the microtrends and fast fashion in our society today. Catherine’s plastic nightgowns were diabolical. 

Films like “Wuthering Heights” require a certain suspension of disbelief. Relying solely on modern trends, without embellishing them and adding a unique flair, pulls you back to reality and snuffs out the magic of the film.

My favorite part of the film was actually the beginning, which depicts young Cathy and Heathcliff. The young actors were incredibly talented and were more believable in their respective roles than Robbie and Elordi.

I also enjoyed the soundtrack by Charli XCX. I don’t think she’d be the right artist for an accurate “Wuthering Heights,” but for this version, her music fits the vibe, and I like the songs on their own as well.

A film adapted from a book doesn’t need to be 100% book accurate. But Fennell completely stripped “Wuthering Heights” of its original themes and story because she wanted to make a spicy romance movie. Whether you loved or hated the film, it was definitely not “Wuthering Heights.”