Wuthering Heights          2 stars

Director Emerald Fennell gives us a very different take on the gothic novel Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte by casting two of the hottest stars working in Hollywood today in the leading roles. I have never seen any of the many previous adaptations of the novel nor have I read the book. I only know that it has a reputation as a tragic love story. But I doubt that Bronte envisioned her story to be nearly as steamy as portrayed on the screen here. Previously, Fennell, the actor turned director brought us Promising Young Woman and Saltburn, two movies that combine revenge themes with sex and she continues that theme in Wuthering Heights. This movie has a lot of sex. And I mean a lot of sex! And it’s not just the two main characters either. Even the opening scene is very suggestive of what is to come. In the beginning we meet Catherine (Charlotte Mellington) as a twelve-year-old living with her father (Martin Clunes of Shakespeare in Love and Nativity 3: Dude, Where’s My Donkey?) in a large, isolated, but decaying house in the countryside called Wuthering Heights. Living with them is another girl, Nelly, who serves as a companion for Catherine, but also as a servant. They have other servants too, so they’re not exactly poor. One day, father brings a young boy home with him as he couldn’t stand seeing him wandering the streets with no one to care for him. Catherine takes to him immediately, calling him Heathcliff (Owen Cooper of Adolescence), the name of her dead brother. But Father thinks nothing of beating and whipping Heathcliff when he doesn’t live up to expectations. We flash forward several years and find Catherine (Margot Robbie of Barbie and The Wolf of Wall Street) and Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi of Frankenstein and Saltburn), now in their thirties and still living with her father along with a grown Nelly (Hong Chau). Things have changed and now they are quite poor, the father having gambled away his money. Catherine and Heathcliff (represented as two of the most perfect specimens of humans) now look at each other quite differently and you can see that things will soon take a turn. When a new neighbor moves to the area (five miles away), Catherine investigates and meets Mr. Edgar Linton (Shazad Latif), who is fabulously wealthy, has an enormous estate, and very stylish clothes, carriages and servants. There is also a young woman, Isabella, living with him who we never find out exactly how they are related. Naturally, since Catherine is poor, she must marry Edgar for the benefit of the family even though she is madly in love with Heathcliff. And this is where things go awry and jealousy takes over all sense of right and wrong. Both Catherine and Heathcliff make it their purpose to get revenge on each other for their circumstances but still end up meeting secretly repeatedly for sessions of mad sex. And they do it a lot, with most of it in the rain it seems. There is plenty of ill will and jealousy spread around between them and every other character as well. In fact, I would say that there is not a single character in the movie with redeeming qualities. Everyone wants to cause harm to someone or even themselves. The contrast between the two families is greatly exaggerated, showing Edgar’s extravagant wealth and Catherine’s beautiful clothes and jewels versus the dirty unkept look of the Wuthering Heights house. Not only is the selfish nature of the characters disturbing, all the rain and the fog make everything about the film depressing. I suppose that that’s what Fennell was going for, but I couldn’t enjoy it. I can’t say if that’s what Bronte’s original novel is like. (Perhaps it was, but without all the sex.) I will point out that most of the music was written and performed by Charlie XCX so it has that going for it.

Little Women                    4 ½ stars

Greta Gerwig, the writer/director behind Lady Bird brings us her take on Louisa May Alcott’s classic Civil War era novel Little Women.  In her version, the tale of the four March sisters is blended with Alcott’s struggle to be a successful author placing older sister Jo, (played by Saoirse Ronan) as the creative writer of Little Women.  Another difference from earlier movies, of which there may be as many as seven, she puts the timelines in parallel showing us the older siblings trials alongside scenes of the girls living together in their family home with their mother (a good natured Laura Dern).  And it is done using the same actors in both settings where previous versions have used younger actors to portray the teenage sisters.  They may not all look like teenagers, but I thought the approach worked well especially with how active and energetic the actors are.  The movie shares the aspect of the earlier films that shows how dependent women were on finding a good husband in order to succeed in life.  Of special note is the role of Amy (Florence Pugh) as Gerwig makes it clear that she is the obstinate and ambitious one, as she is seen maturing the most of the sisters and the one who ends up with the boy next door, Laurie played by Timothee Chalamet.  The film is rather long but I find I didn’t really notice it all that much as the scenes seem to fly by at a fast pace keeping us engaged the whole time.  Gerwig is said to have read the book Little Women multiple times growing up and it is clear that she gave it her best effort as a writer/director.  Be sure you see it.  It is bound to earn a few Academy Award nominations.

Marriage Story                  4 ½ stars

Marriage Story, written and directed by Noah Baumbach is probably his best work to date.  That is saying a lot as I have previously enjoyed Mistress America, While We’re Young, Frances Ha and Greenberg among others.  Unlike those earlier comedies this one is strictly drama as it tells us about a marriage that is coming apart.  It accurately shows the pain and emotion that comes with the impending divorce of Charlie and Nicole (played by Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson).  The pair have decided to divorce but haven’t worked out the details when actress Nicole moves from New York to Los Angeles with the couple’s son, Henry, leaving Charlie a successful play director to work with his theater group in New York.  Things become serious when Nicole hires divorce lawyer Nora (Laura Dern) and she asks for full custody of their son.  The writing of the dialogue is first rate which coupled with convincing performances from the three main actors makes the discussions and conflicts all seem real.  You will feel the pain coming through as the couple go from loving each other to resentment and distrust.  Laura Dern especially is excellent showing that she deserves the Academy Award for her acting.  You won’t be laughing through this movie, but will be gripped by the performances.  If you are more interested in comedies though, you should check out Baumbach’s earlier screenwriting efforts.