Review by wheeelertron

A semi-Brontë-biopic mostly concerned with raw emotional drama tinged with gothic horror is it seems appropriate, written and directed by Frances O'Connor with plenty to say it's also a refreshing perspective, if a little clunky in moments. It is not fun to watch but nor was Emily's life fun to live by all accounts, especially her own..! That subject is expertly dealt with, and viewers with no knowledge of her novel will I think be left in little doubt of the likely themes and content, what a cinematic achievement. It's at times such a painful story that clearly an actor with power in reserve is needed and while I struggled a little with Emma Mackey as cast I was quickly absorbed by her performance and left devastated by the realisation of her character's trauma. A reminder maybe to be kind to all even and especially those with a prickly persona, as we are all shaped by our experiences and life is sometimes brutal, naive personal relationships among the sensitive can be a disaster waiting to happen, especially poignant in this story as the tragic missed opportunities for redemption resonate around the rolling and occasionally-quite-damp landscapes of Yorkshire, with individual moments referenced in reflective vignette. Nanu Segal's cinematography is excellent.

I think this kind of artistic interpretation, built from personal perspectives and reflecting great literature, is fantastic and much-needed, and I hope to see more of it from people who really know and care about their subject, in this case Brontë is understood and then laid out for all to see and feel and I think it will really affect people.