"I know you can be overwhelmed and you can be underwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed?" asks the great modern poet Gabrielle Union in one of our generation's greatest films. And I think you can indeed be "whelmed" when it comes to both Charli XCX's album and Emerald Fennel's film Wuthering Heights. Both rely heavily on vibes and goodwill toward their creators and stars. For the album, a diehard devotion to brat summer FOREVER. For the film, Jacob Elordi's it-boy je ne sais quoi (I find him a bit stiff, tbh).
I know we're not doing a film review here, so I'll be brief. As a former English major, sure, I had my issues with the film's interpretation. Heathcliff wasn't white, y'all! But when it comes to Emerald Fennell's films, I choose to go in lobotomy-forward. I'm not here for cinema. I'm here for a movie. Even still, I was promised a horny modernized period drama. And what I got was a mostly bog-standard period piece with a skin wall and cheeky costuming (sometimes). Go full Marie Antoinette. Go full Romeo + Juliet. Be brave! Be camp!
The soundtrack similarly only delivers halfway on the promise. There are some genuine earworms in here. "Dying for You" stands on its own outside of its relation to the film. "Chains of Love" is cinematic, baby! "Out of Myself" is lyrically hilarious in the context of this specific film. I'd buy it a little more if the actors were closer to the ages written.
"Seeing Things" presents a new pop lane for Ms. XCX. A little more earnest, less synth-forward. This was perhaps my favorite little surprise. "Altars" gets vocally weird. Go there! Do it more!
It certainly is worth more listens than the film is worth rewatches. It's a "some hits, some skips" kind of album. And that's okay!!! I'll take a few more additions to my workout list. And you know, vibes.
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