Review: Saltburn (2023)
Review: Saltburn (2023)
Seriously gasp-worthy, entirely unexpected and completely raucous
Saltburn | Official Teaser Trailer | Dir. Emerald Fennell
Emerald Fennell’s second directorial feature is an outrageously unhinged swipe at the bourgeoisie, fuelled by hedonism and a heavy dose of black comedy. Saltburn is an absolute riot, dah-ling.
We’re introduced to the two lead characters while they’re studying at world-renowned University of Oxford in the late 00’s and despite both of them getting a place at the prestigious institution, their journeys won’t have been very similar getting there, nor is their experience on the same level once they arrive.
Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) has a modest, somewhat troubled background, while Felix (Jacob Elordi) is the son of a sir, a member of the British aristocracy and practically towers over Oli like some rich demi-god thirst trap. They may frequent the same pubs and libraries around the campus, but there are seemingly tiers even once you reach the top, and only those deemed the super elite (presumably based on titles and hectares of land owned) have access to the Super Privileged Club. However, their paths cross when Oli sees an upset Felix with a punctured tyre. He offers up his bike and an unlikely friendship is born. Felix is keen to repay Oli’s kindness and takes him under his wing despite reservations from his friends who are grossed out by Oliver’s non-poshness.
Over the course of the academic year, Oliver becomes a project for Felix. Out comes the knight in shining armour from his turreted castle to makeover this lucky boy’s life… Can he save the poor boy from a life of mediocrity? He tries. The rescue mission escalates when Felix invites Oli to stay at his house over the summer so that he doesn’t have to deal with his addict mother. Oli gives it a go and rocks up to the gates of Felix’s manor house: Saltburn. And then the real fun starts.
Throughout the film, the script pokes fun at the absurd levels of ignorance that the ultra-wealthy display about, well, the real world and real people - us normos. And it’s hilarious. The comedy is taken up a notch when Felix’s parents enter the fray. Rosamund Pike and Richard E. Grant are cast perfectly to play oblivious socialites who love nothing more than gossiping about someone else’s wrongdoing or misfortune so that they can pretend to care. You get the impression that the family’s faux eccentricity is just to hide the fact that deep down they are vapid individuals with nothing interesting to say, though admittedly they can throw one heck of a party. Carey Mulligan’s short stint as a woman shaken by a bad experience with a Russian billionaire is brilliant, whilst the deadpan expression of grumpy butler Duncan treads the fine line between creepy and comedy excellently.
Oliver is dumbstruck by the entire experience. But who wouldn’t be? There are more rooms than any single family could ever possibly need, an entire staff team, beautifully manicured grounds, and the dress code for dinner is always black tie: the level of wealth is grotesque. It’s an alien world masquerading as a dream that he will never be able to penetrate. But that doesn’t mean that he can’t obsess over the thought of it, or that he won’t try.
There are too many moments of note that take place in Saltburn to count - not to mention that this review is being written without intending to include any spoilers. So without mentioning any specifics about what occurs or where the story goes, it can categorically be said that as Oliver gets more and more integrated into life with the Lords and Ladies of Saltburn, things get stranger and stranger, and Barry Keoghan gets more and more immersed in the role. And oh boy does he commit to it! Whether or not it was scripted or if he was directed to, he goes to some places that are seriously gasp-worthy, entirely unexpected and completely raucous. His performance is scandalously sublime.
One of the questions we are left with after the film ends is what Emerald Fennell was trying to say, besides pointing out the obscenity of inherited wealth (and everything else that comes with it). Like her debut Promising Young Woman, there is a definite and deliberate ambiguity in the messaging of the film, which will no doubt be infuriating to some, but a jumping off point for debate for others. The visceral and unapologetic imagery in this film feels daring and like PYW the audience is precariously positioned so that we question our own stance on contentious issues. If you want to see a film which is a twisted, heady blend of The Talented Mr Ripley, The Great Gatsby and Love, Actually, this is it - you’ll know exactly why the last one is there once you’ve seen it.
The actors commitment to the characters shines through in Saltburn, it’s vibrant with talent and provides an exhilarating blend of genres which makes for a unique cinematic experience. It’s simply not up for debate that Fennell makes great films that get people talking, and that’s one of the reasons this was such a bold choice as the London Film Festival opener for 2023. See it in cinemas when it comes out if you can!
Verdict: Eat the rich? Fuck the bourgeoisie? Do we have a perverted obsession with poshos? Who knows, but this is one hell of a full-on watch which delivers on performances, narrative and directorial voice. It’s another knock out from Emerald Fennell.
Overall? ⭐⭐️⭐⭐1/2
Big screen appeal? 🎬🎬🎬🎬🎬
Accolade eligibility? 💡💡💡💡
Study-worthy? 📚📚📚📚📚