Emily movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Emily

This period drama is now available to stream online.

RATING: R

LENGTH: 2 hours 10 minutes

MOVIE REVIEW MOM GRADE: B+

IN A NUTSHELL:

It takes a brave director to tackle the character of Emily Bronte in a new way because her novel Wuthering Heights has been so beloved since it was published in 1847.

The movie was written and directed by Frances O’Connor in her directorial debut! Brave, indeed!

The story is about Emily Bronte, who imagines the transformative, exhilarating, and uplifting journey to womanhood of a rebel and a misfit. Emily Bronte is one of the world’s most famous, enigmatic, and provocative writers who died too soon at the young age of 30. Who knows what masterpieces she could have written had she been given more time?

THINGS I LIKED:

Emma Mackey is beautiful and talented. I loved her subtle expressions. I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot more of her in the future. She reminded me of a younger, brunette version of Margot Robbie. This is the second time Emma has disrobed in a movie. We see her bare chest in this movie.
The rest of the capable cast includes Fionn Whitehead, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Alexandra Dowling, and Gemma Jones.
Beautiful costume design.
Stunning English countryside and cinematography.
The movie was shot at the West Yorkshire home of the Bronte family in England!
The lighting was noticeably good. Sometimes, movies about the 1800s show very dark interiors, making it difficult to see what’s happening in nighttime scenes.
I enjoyed the effective and haunting musical score.
There are several intriguing conversations about questioning God and the church.
The tone of the movie is overall sadness, as it shows the tragic life of Emily Bronte. If she lived today, she may have been diagnosed on the autism spectrum.
As an author of 31 books, I’m always fascinated to watch movies about other authors and learn about what inspired them.
We see character arcs in several characters in the story.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

True literary fans of Emily Bronte’s work may not approve of the artistic liberties that the director has taken with this story. It’s important to know this is not a historically-accurate biopic. Some of the names and events from the Wuthering Heights story are depicted as real history in the film.
There’s a creepy, paranormal scene that caught me off guard.
Ultimately, it’s a depressing film.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Kids will be very bored.
Alcohol and opium are consumed.
Cigarette smoking
A single man kisses a married woman
An unmarried couple goes at it in a variety of places. We see skin and both people shirtless.

THEMES:

Writing, authors
Inspiration
Jealousy
Society’s norms in 1800s England
Freedom in thought (it must be shouted)
Secret love affairs
Blind obedience to God
Thinking for one’s self
Criticism of others

FUNNY LINES:

None. This is a serious drama.

INTERESTING LINES:

* “Why is it so hard to believe your sister could do something of merit?” – Emily Bronte (Emma Mackey)

“God is in us.” – William Weightman (Oliver Jackson-Cohen)
“Let’s not dwell in the past. It’s the future we must look for.” – Charlotte Bronte (Alexandra Dowling)
“There’s only one true happiness in this life: to love and be loved.” – Branwell Bronte (Fionn Whitehead)