Saltburn Movie Review
Saltburn is a 2023 psychological drama film written, directed, and produced by Emerald Fennell. The film had its wide release on 22 November before its streaming release by Amazon Prime Video on 23 December 2023.
Oliver, a student at Oxford University finds himself drawn into the orbit of a wealthy classmate, who invites him to his eccentric family’s estate for an unforgettable summer….
The Good
Saltburn is a visually stunning production with a vivid and immersive atmosphere of aristocratic decadence, reminiscent of The Talented Mr Ripley meets The Great Gatsby and a dash of Knives Out.
The casting and performances are stellar.. Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick is creepy yet charismatic, with a hint of a Dickenson Oliver Twist who would dares to ask for more than he has been given..
Jacob Elordi plays the role of Felix Catton who Oliver is obsessed with, effortlessly bringing out charm and vulnerability tampered with that privileged naivete.
Felix’s mum Lady Elspeth Catton as portrayed by Rosamund Pike easily has some of the most memorable lines and delivers what could easily be her funniest performance ever.
The dialogue is witty, sharp and will cut you with its dark humour which is wickedly funny and ever so decadent…
The Bad
The Talented Mr Ripley did it better…
It feels somewhat unoriginal and leads you down its twisted maze where cops and plots get lost, relying on shocking you with its provocative imagery to stop you from asking what it is you are supposed to be watching….
And what exactly are you watching? Its set in 2007 but with a real feel of the late Victorian era or maybe out of the pages of an Emily Bronte novel… The first act of the movie has a comic and nuanced atmosphere that suddenly experiences a jarring tonal shift like sleep walking into a midsummer’s nightmare.
The Ugly
Saltburn is satire on the superficiality and hypocrisy of the upper class and attempts to depict something profound about toxic elitism but gets lost in the storytelling and its provocative bravado….
Farleigh Start the only non-white character played by Archie Madekwe the breakout star from Gran Turismo is rather under-utilised and the film misses an opportunity to also make a bold statement on racial dynamics.
The movie has a couple of scenes that will have you question what you have just watched, viewers with delicate sensibilities might get downright offended… small surprise the movie has been pegged as divisive.
Final Thoughts
This is one of those movies that you have to watch for yourself and make up your mind… if its an Eat The Rich theme or a sociopathic predator of the haves and have some mores…
All I know is its provocative.
Have you seen Saltburn? Do share your thoughts.
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