‘Wuthering Heights’, directed and produced by Emerald Fennell, is Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi’s most recent project. Based on the 1847 novel written by Emily Brontë, the movie is about the intense and destructive romantic relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw. While the story has been long considered one of literature’s most tragic romances, this adaptation attempts to reintroduce it to a new audience through a contemporary soundtrack and well-known actors.
The soundtrack of the film features original songs written by Charli xcx specifically for this film. Tracks such as ‘Chains of Love’, ‘Dying for You’, and ‘Always Everywhere’ attempt to modernize the 19th century gothic story. The pop-influenced sound adds a campy and stylized layer to the film, which blends modern energy with the gloomy atmosphere of the moors. The album can be listened to on Spotify and Apple Music.
In the film, the love story between Heathcliff and Catherine is not traditional, focusing more on obsession and possession rather than romantic, passionate love. Catherine shares that she plans to marry another man over Heathcliff, and overhearing how it would ‘degrade her’ to marry Heathcliff, he leaves.
His departure marks a turning point in the story, turning hurt feelings into long-term resentment. Their separation does not resolve their conflict, but deepens it instead. Because of this, it allows pride and bitterness to fester over time.
Five years later, Heathcliff returns wealthier and well-groomed, and he and Catherine begin an affair, rooted in resentment, pride, and unresolved longing. Rather than portraying their love as inspiring, the film leans heavily into their toxicity, emphasizing how their miscommunication ultimately leads to destruction. However, some viewers felt that the emotional and psychological complexities of their relationship did not fully translate from page to screen.
“Clearly, the attachment is unhealthy, especially as it impacts those around them. It’s difficult to attach contemporary attachment theories onto characters with very extreme behaviors, but it’s safe to say nobody in this movie is securely attached in their relationships,” Rachel Dows, who holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology said.
From a psychological perspective, their relationship reflects repeated exposure to trauma and instability, which can contribute to the formation of a trauma bond.
“These are two characters constantly encountering crisis and conflict, not only with each other but with the characters and settings around them. Their exposure to abuse, poverty, gambling, and manipulation on a near daily basis makes it reasonable to view their relationship as a trauma bond,” Dows said.
Natalia Romero ’26, an English major at George Mason University agreed that the film was visually strong, and the aesthetics added to the film’s storyline.
“The movie was very aesthetically pleasing, especially with the houses and wardrobe, it all felt very intentionally designed. I think artistically it was very beautiful,” Romero said.
The production design, costumes, and cinematography created a carefully curated gothic atmosphere that feels both dramatic and stylized. From the gloomy moors and the elaborate interiors of Wuthering Heights, the film did a fantastic job of providing a visually appealing story.
However, other students believe that the emotional intensity didn’t translate well to the screen and felt confused by the character’s motivations while watching. For instance, the obsessive, toxic relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff was confusing to follow and it left the audience wondering where the relationship was heading.
“There were some moments in the film where it didn’t really make a lot of sense from a character standpoint. You think Catherine and Heathcliff are going to get back together, and they don’t but then kind of do, so it was a bit confusing to follow,” Alex Lake ’28 said.
Some believe that Fennell did not portray the characters in the book well, believing them to be flat and very one dimensional. Heathcliff, in the book, is portrayed as a person of color, but in the movie he is played by Elordi, a white man, raising controversy around the integrity of the movie.
“I don’t love the casting, and I felt they didn’t keep a lot of the integrity from the book. The movie only covers half of the book, so I felt the movie lost a lot of context that was needed from the book,” Romero said.
Despite the critics, some viewers appreciated the film’s tragic story and emotional weight, particularly in its final moments. The ending highlighted the toxic obsession in their relationship, reinforcing that this story is not a fairytale with a happily ever after, but a cautionary one.
“I really liked the ending of the film. It was really sad, but it encapsulated this overwhelming sense of toxicness within a very tragic situation,” Lake said.
Aside from the criticism, the movie made viewers want to pick up the book and learn more about the characters and overall story. While the adaptation did not capture every layer of Brontë’s storytelling, it introduced the characters and their tragic dynamic in a way that makes the viewers want to understand them more deeply.
“The movie definitely made me want to read the book. I got a copy immediately after I saw the movie, ” Romero said.
Ultimately, ‘Wuthering Heights’ delivers a visually stunning and stylistically adaptation of a beloved literary classic. The production design, soundtrack, and cast make the film appeal to a modern audience. However, the film struggles to fully translate the emotional depth and complexity of the characters that make the novel so powerful. For many, the movie may serve as an introduction rather than a fully fleshed out story that may leave viewers wanting more.
Students can watch ‘Wuthering Heights’ at the Senator Theatre using their Loyola discount to get $5 tickets. Students can access these discounted tickets by going to The Bridge and using their Loyola login to see movies like ‘Wuthering Heights’, ‘Hamlet’, and ‘Crime 101’.
