Saltburn [2023]

November 12, 2024

At the time I’m typing these words, this movie is ranked number one on all possible lists. It’s simply a global phenomenon and I felt compelled to check it out. At a glance, Saltburn seems like yet another quirky romantic comedy your girlfriend convinced you to watch. However, upon further inspection, it would appear that this is a cynical, subversive, and gimmicky dramedy following a familiar formula. It’s coming to us from Emerald Fennell after the huge success of her previous movie Promising Young Woman. It would appear that Fennell stumbled onto something. A sort of retro escapist experience far away from all the current trends.

Saltburn follows Oliver Quick an awkward and relatively poor guy who, through his hard work, gets into the prestigious University of Oxford. There, he notices Felix Catton, an attractive and wealthy student popular with both males and females. Soon, the two of them become good friends and Felix invites him to stay for a while at his family’s huge estate Saltburn. Oliver meets his hedonistic family, completely detached from reality and ordinary life and from there, things start to get complicated. Nothing much happens during the first two-thirds of the movie so just be ready for that. We will be going through the usual scenes and twists until we end up with a rather preposterous finale.

A finale that’s going to require a lot of suspension of belief for it to work. I think some of you will find this movie to be aesthetically pleasing but also pretentious and contrived bore. I focused on the psychological and retro elements, following the path set out by Fennell. And I did enjoy this experience. Especially the willingness to go “there”. During the first thirty minutes, I was struggling to accept the fact that we were back at it again. We went through the entire cycle of almost twenty years, and these sorts of movies are popular again. I’m talking about two prominent themes in Saltburn.

The first one is the familiar “socially awkward but smart guy tries to fit in”. While the other one is the variation of the first one with the addition of rich fucks. Two movies instantly come to mind when discussing these themes. 1999’s Cruel Intentions features the same kind of sexual tension and debauchery. Of course, The Talented Mr. Ripley is the second one. I highly recommend you check out the French adaptation of the novel Plein Soleil. Additionally, you might take a look at an often-overlooked parody of that world, Not Another Teen Movie. It’s hilarious, raunchy, and surprisingly intelligent.

As a bonus movie, I simply must mention Wild Things, a classic nineties erotic thriller. Just quirky enough, Saltburn successfully captures your attention with sexual tension and nasty gimmicks. There are exactly three of these gimmicks strewn throughout the movie. I’m sure you’re going to notice them instantly but I’ll also give you a couple of hints. First, we have the bathtub scene, then the fingering scene until we end up with the cherry on the top happening at a graveyard. Moreover, the old-school 4:3 aspect ratio will make you think you’re watching a DVD of a romantic comedy you found in a bargain bin in your local supermarket.

The main attraction is Jacob Elordi, who you might remember from the television show Euphoria. Tall, handsome, and charismatic, he has an electric screen presence. And his character is your stereotypical college fuck boy. He’s emotionally unavailable, rebellious, and totally irresistible. Opposite him, we have Barry Keoghan of The Banshees of Inisherin. Since the entire movie is told from his perspective, his character is a more familiar outcast, using his brains instead of looks to get what he wants. Rosamund Pike was excellent as Elspeth Catton and it was so good to see Richard E. Grant (Warlock) again.

In the end, I have to say that I’m not the greatest fan of the ambiguous approach this movie used. You’re never too sure whether they’re for real or just “being meta”. And I feel that’s a bit cheap and superficial. Especially if you that surreal finale. On the other hand, you simply have to respect the talent on display here. Fennell knows how to create an enticing atmosphere and she creatively uses quite raunchy gimmicks I wouldn’t expect from a movie like this. Saltburn also successfully captures that feeling of being young, partying, and feeling like an outcast.

The additional themes of English aristocracy with a gentle twist are far too familiar to be considered intriguing. Did you know that Fennell is also an accomplished actress? And that she plays Camilla Parker Bowles in The Crown. I’m betting that she drew at least some inspiration from that popular television show.