Written by Ella Astbury

Art by Lute Campbell

Now before I say anything at all, it’s important to state that I haven’t read the book. However, I know that our Heathcliff is supposed to be a man of color, and that this cultural and social “other”ness is a key plot point in the novel, perhaps even the entire point of the novel. Or so I’ve been told. With this in mind, I marched into The Majestic 10 (a poor substitute for my dearest Roxy Theatre, may she rest in peace), almost certain that I would not like this film. Though I loved Emerald Fennel’s 2023 film Saltburn for many reasons, I couldn’t get past the obvious mis-casting of her latest project. Jacob Elordi is a white man. When asked why she selected him to play Heathcliff, Emerald Fennel admitted, in a red carpet interview at the premier of the film, that everyone has their own personal connection to the novel, and this was the way that she imagined the character. Essentially, she pictured Heathcliff as a white man. This raises the obvious question: Did Fennel even read the book? This adaptation seems to be so far removed from its original text, I think it should be called something else entirely. If you’re going to change something so drastically, you should use an original title. 

I have other thoughts about casting choices. I love Margot Robbie as much as the next person, I truly do. However, her character, Catherine, is supposed to be a young teenager, at least in the first half of the novel, which is all that’s depicted in Fennel’s adaptation. Margot Robbie is 35. Obviously, she is a strikingly beautiful woman. And I’m not saying she has iPhone face (a face that’s arguably too cosmetically enhanced to be featured in a period piece). I’m just saying that watching this film felt like I was watching Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, not 18th-century characters. The two could not fulfill these roles in a meaningful way. I couldn’t become immersed in their universe. However, Owen Cooper, who plays a young Heathcliff in the film, is a national treasure and should be protected at all costs. Solely based on his performance in Adolescence, I crown him white boy of the year.

There’s something to be said about the script, too. Fennell pulls iconic lines directly from the text. “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same,” most notably. A line that would’ve had me in complete shambles if it hadn’t come out of Margot Robbie’s mouth. A plethora of heartbreaking lines are paired with original dialogue written by Emerald Fennel. You can tell exactly which parts she wrote, and which parts she didn’t. This completely took me out of the story as I tried to balance my emotions, which oscillated between a profound sadness and a creeping sense of secondhand embarrassment. 

On top of everything, I was told that this movie would be “freaky.” It’s all anyone’s talking about on TikTok. They said the same thing about Saltburn when it came out, which was a little more justified. I was told that Jacob Elordi’s penis had a shot dedicated to it. I was told to “take a shot” every time there was a sex scene. I brought Fireball shooters into the theatre and everything, hoping to get plastered. I was ready for something outrageous. I left the theatre sober and out $13, plus the $20 uber there and back. For what? Maybe my expectations were dangerously high, but I was disappointed. Maybe I’m just not that attracted to Jacob Elordi, which is my own problem I guess. To me, there’s nothing particularly shocking about this film. This did make me think about the rise of conservatism, not to be woke. Why are we so shocked by sex depicted in the media? People are losing their minds over Jacob Elordi crawling on the floor with Margot Robbie’s hand in his mouth. I think this is kind of the bare minimum. I think I need to sit down and watch Heated Rivalry.

At the same time, the cinematography was gorgeous. There, I said it. Emerald Fennel has an eye. The costumes were phenomenal, too. At no point were my eyes assaulted by poor lighting or bad framing. Shoutout Linus Sandgren, whoever that is. 

In conclusion, the bad outweighs the good. I’ll hate on a male director pretty much any chance I get, but I hate to hate on a female director. Emerald, you did not deliver. Also, you’re a little racist. If there’s one thing I got out of the whole experience, it was the urge to read the novel. 

Review coming soon.