With Valentine’s Day just days away, questions around romance, emotional intensity and what makes a healthy relationship are coming into focus for many Londoners.
While romantic comedies often dominate cinemas in February, Wuthering Heights presents a much darker portrayal of love, one shaped by obsession, control and longing.
Rather than focusing on the film itself, the timing of its release has raised broader questions about how love is understood today.
Speaking ahead of the release, actress Alison Oliver, who plays Isabella Linton in the adaptation, described the story as one that goes beyond traditional romance.
“The film is full of really complex forms of love – not just romantic love,”
“Releasing it around Valentine’s Day makes it a good conversation starter.”
Oliver also reflected on how the story explores the line between love and obsession.
“Maybe love and obsession are on a spectrum,” she said, “but the film really shows the destructiveness at the core of obsession, and how it affects everyone around it.”
What do Londoners think?
To see how those themes translate beyond the screen, City News asked Londoners how they define the difference between love and obsession in real life.
One interviewee said love is rooted in mutual respect:
“You can love someone and it still not work out. Obsession is when you try to bind someone, even if it hurts them”
Another suggested the line can sometimes feel blurred, particularly early on in relationships,
“When you’re newly in love it can feel like obsession- It doesn’t always have to be a bad thing.”
Others were more cautious, describing obsession as one-sided or uncomfortable.
“Love is reciprocated,”
One couple said.
“Obsession is when one person feels pressured.”
The reactions highlight how ideas around romance, boundaries and emotional intensity can vary widely, particularly in a city as diverse as London.
Oliver also noted that modern audiences may view these relationships differently from how readers did in the past.
“A lot of the language we use now — things like ‘toxic’ relationships or red flags — didn’t exist when the book was written- Everyone brings their own perspective to it.”
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HeadlineHow does Wuthering Heights set the tone for romance this Valentine’s Day?
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StandfirstLove or obsession? Londoners reflect on relationships ahead of Valentine’s Day
With Valentine’s Day just days away, questions around romance, emotional intensity and what makes a healthy relationship are coming into focus for many Londoners.
While romantic comedies often dominate cinemas in February, Wuthering Heights presents a much darker portrayal of love, one shaped by obsession, control and longing.
Rather than focusing on the film itself, the timing of its release has raised broader questions about how love is understood today.
Speaking ahead of the release, actress Alison Oliver, who plays Isabella Linton in the adaptation, described the story as one that goes beyond traditional romance.
“The film is full of really complex forms of love – not just romantic love,”
“Releasing it around Valentine’s Day makes it a good conversation starter.”
Oliver also reflected on how the story explores the line between love and obsession.
“Maybe love and obsession are on a spectrum,” she said, “but the film really shows the destructiveness at the core of obsession, and how it affects everyone around it.”
What do Londoners think?
To see how those themes translate beyond the screen, City News asked Londoners how they define the difference between love and obsession in real life.
One interviewee said love is rooted in mutual respect:
“You can love someone and it still not work out. Obsession is when you try to bind someone, even if it hurts them”
Another suggested the line can sometimes feel blurred, particularly early on in relationships,
“When you’re newly in love it can feel like obsession- It doesn’t always have to be a bad thing.”
Others were more cautious, describing obsession as one-sided or uncomfortable.
“Love is reciprocated,”
One couple said.
“Obsession is when one person feels pressured.”
The reactions highlight how ideas around romance, boundaries and emotional intensity can vary widely, particularly in a city as diverse as London.
Oliver also noted that modern audiences may view these relationships differently from how readers did in the past.
“A lot of the language we use now — things like ‘toxic’ relationships or red flags — didn’t exist when the book was written- Everyone brings their own perspective to it.”
