Culture Gabfest Heathcliff, It’s Me Cathy Edition
Feb 18, 2026
Jamelle Bouie, NYT columnist known for sharp cultural and political takes, and Amy Nicholson, LA Times film critic and classic-cinema buff, dig into Emerald Fennell’s campy Wuthering Heights adaptation and its casting choices. They unpack Ryan Murphy’s glossy Love Story about JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, then celebrate the anarchic, nostalgia-forward revival of The Muppet Show.
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Casting Age Alters Emotional Stakes
- Casting mature, glamorous actors like Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi undermines the novel's portrayal of youthful passion and social pressures.
- The age mismatch flattens stakes tied to adolescence and class-driven choices central to Brontë's story.
Key Themes Removed For Eroticism
- The novel's themes of generational trauma and Heathcliff's racial ambiguity are largely excised in favor of eroticized scenes.
- That choice substitutes the book's complex social critique with a Harlequin-romance aesthetic.
A Promising Opening That Fizzles
- The film's opening gallows scene promises raw sex-and-death energy but the movie does not sustain that edge.
- Early provocative moments raise expectations the rest of the film fails to meet.
