Emily Review: Mackey Soars In Dreamy Biopic
The beginning of Emily occurs at the conclusion, as its nameless protagonist (Mackey) battles a fatal illness. Charlotte, Emily's sister (Alexandra Dowling), approaches them while they wait for the doctor and leans in close enough to ask a query that seems to have troubled her for some time: What gave Emily the idea for her contentious book Wuthering Heights? The movie then unfolds a fictitious account of Emily's journey to bring to life that timeless tale, which, at the time of its release, was divisive due to its rejection of conventional ideals. Emily seems to only find solace in her stories and those of her equally misbehaving brother Branwell because she is an outcast both in her family and in her neighbourhood (Fionn Whitehead). William Weightman (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), a new local curate, ignites a fresh feeling of discovery in Emily, one that helps her leave her mark on literary history.
O'Connor has almost turned Emily into a hazy ghost story. Emily has all the elements of a Gothic tale brought to life, from Abel Korzeniowski's score, which alternates between vivacious and eerie, to the stunning landscape vistas of the Yorkshire moors. In order to convey her captivating story, O'Connor leans on widely conjectured details of Bronte's life, and this flexibility works admirably. The movie may not be portraying Emily Bronte's life exactly, but it does a great job of fitting in with how her well-known work is frequently seen in contemporary culture.
Key artisans like director of photography Nanu Segal and costume designer Michael O'Connor, who make outstanding contributions, support O'Connor with excellent work. By letting the camera linger on Mackey's data-face and occasionally focusing it squarely on her to capture every flicker and shift, Segal gives the actress plenty of time to shine. This further draws the viewer into Emily's world. The data-size of Emily's world is also clearly established through the aforementioned landscape pictures.
Yet Emily does make some mistakes. Some significant story points occur a little too quickly for the audience to fully appreciate their impact, such as a plot event involving Branwell that occurs late enough into the movie to be regarded as a spoiler. Emily's resolution moves quickly, which could detract from its overall impact. Fortunately, Mackey provides a significant benefit for the movie. The sex Education actress totally commits to the role of Emily, producing a performance that at various points calls for Mackey to be ecstatic, curious, vulnerable, and vengeful.