From acclaimed writer-director Emerald Fennell, Saltburn became one of the most talked-about movies of late 2023. A psychological thriller with heavy overtones of dark comedy, it’s a film filled with symbolism and social commentary. However, is Saltburn‘s reputation entirely deserved?
Barry Keoghan stars as Oliver Quick, a young scholarship student at Oxford University, who after initially struggling to fit in finds himself bonding with his aristocratic classmate, Felix (Jacob Elordi). When Felix invites Oliver to his family’s titular country manor for the summer, it gives the young man a taste of a life he only could have dreamed of. Richard E. Grant, Rosamund Pike, Alison Oliver, and Carey Mulligan all feature alongside Keoghan and Elordi, rounding out the film’s talented cast.
The hype surrounding Saltburn risked making it one of the most overrated movies of the year. Luckily, Emerald Fennell’s knack for genre-bending writing makes it a truly engaging watch, and its actors keep its story feeling emotionally charged through every scene. So what is it exactly that makes the film so magnetic?
Saltburn’s Subtle Themes Build To A Powerful Final Act
Barry Keoghan’s role as the quiet but brilliant Oliver starts out as endearing, as he attempts to integrate himself into Felix’s circles. Their bond of friendship is never fully stable, however, as the power dynamic between them remains unbalanced throughout. This feeds into the deeper them of classism and Oliver’s perceived otherness. As his background is less affluent, Oliver is presented (and presents himself) as an awkward, naive young man who has wandered into a spider’s web.
It’s in these presumptions that Saltburn crafts its trap. The true theme lies deeper, as the film slowly builds to reverse these suppositions: Oliver had far more power over Felix and his family than he ever let on. As events continue to unfold, Oliver’s true calculating brilliance becomes more evident, and with it, so does Saltburn‘s.
It’s this carefully weighted balance that makes the film so brilliantly written. There’s a perfect blend of thriller and dark humor, with several wicked laughs woven into the film’s tragic story that belie the sinister nature of the narrative. Keoghan and Elordi’s respective performances are truly excellent, but really it’s Fennell that shines. Her writing and direction is note perfect, marking her as one of the most capable and exciting directors in Hollywood. With dark twists and turns and several comments on jealousy, modern classism, and the pomp and circumstance of British high society, Saltburn makes for fascinating and unforgettable viewing.
Rating: 80%
Summary: A dark and twisted tale of jealousy, Saltburn has the feeling of a modern fairytale with all the most disturbing parts intact.
Highlight: The film’s final scene is one likely to live in the memory forever, but the film’s slow reveal of its twist is also an enjoyable development.