Andrea Arnold's gritty, naturalistic re-imagining of the Emily Brontë classic stays true to the book's spirit while utilizing an unconventional approach to explore the romantic yearning at the heart of the story.
A poor boy of unknown origins is rescued from poverty and taken in by the Earnshaw family where he develops an intense relationship with his young foster sister, Cathy. As they grow to adulthood, Cathy (Kaya Scodelario) accepts a marriage proposal from the rich neighbour Edgar Linton (James Northcote); deeply angered and hurt, Heathcliff (James Howson) runs away and returns years later, obsessed with love and vengeance. The real impressive trait of Arnold's adaptation is that it skilfully ditches all the period-drama cliches to create a passionate, elemental drama, stripped ruthlessly down to its bare essentials: pain, anger and love.
UK 2011 Andrea Arnold 129m
