A One Mann’s Movies review of “Saltburn” (2023) (from the London Film Festival).
“Saltburn” is the follow-up film from Emerald Fennell to “Promising Young Woman“, my number 1 film of 2021. “Saltburn” isn’t going to join that at the top of my 2023 list – for reasons I lay out below – but it is certainly getting an honorable mention. It is a cinematic event that you really do need to catch on the big screen, ideally with a big audience.
(I’m republishing this, since it is now on general released in UK cinemas).
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
Plot Summary:
Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) is a student from an impoverished and drug-fuelled home life arriving in Oxford University where he is studying literature. Initially shunned by everyone, an act of kindness brings him into the orbit of the “It-guy” Felix (Jacob Elordi), eldest son of the wealthy Catton family. When Oliver is invited back to the Catton pile – Saltburn – for the summer he is little prepared for the excess, hypocrisy and self-deception of the grotesque set of upper-class gargoyles that make up the Catton family (with various hangers-on!)
Certification:
UK: NR; US: R. (From the BBFC web-site: “Strong sex, nudity, sexual threat, drug misuse, very strong language”).
Talent:
Starring: Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant, Carey Mulligan, Archie Madekwe, Alison Oliver, Paul Rhys.
Directed by: Emerald Fennell.
Written by: Emerald Fennell.
Twitter Handle: #Saltburn.
Suveying the devestation. Oliver (Barry Keoghan) wakes post-party. (Source: MGM).
“Saltburn” Review:
Positives:
- The script by Fennell is whip-smart funny. Every scene has its own particular zinger, mostly uncovering the shallowness and self-deception inherent within the rarified silver-spoon culture of Saltburn.
Oliver: [She’s] “Dead?!”
Elspeth: Yes. She’ll do anything for attention.
- The first half of the film (my personal favourite) has Oliver cleverly inserted into the alien and hostile university world as the viewer’s proxy. You feel for Oliver. You root for Oliver. And, as he is accepted into the illustrious company of his personal adonis, you rejoice with Oliver. Your allegiance to Oliver makes the rest of the film feel progressively more uncomfortable. Genius!
- Linus Sandgren. Is there a better cinematographer out there at the moment? The “La La Land” and “Babylon” DoP fills the screen with wonderful colour-saturated images, stamping a unique quality on the film. (You only had to see the closing, sweeping shot of the sunbathing by the lake in the trailer – actually a disgusting discussion about Harry Potter in the film! – to go “wow!”)
- Acting-wise, it’s difficult to pick out individuals since it is such a strong ensemble cast. Both Rosamund Pike and Richard E. Grant dial it up to 11 as the parental toffs; Archie Madekwe (so impressive as the lead in the recent “Gran Turismo“) delivers a fine, if unlikeable, performance; Jacob Elordi is pitch-perfect as the desirable Felix; Alison Oliver, in her movie debut, impresses as the hyper-sexual Venetia; and Carey Mulligan does a memorable, laugh-out-loud cameo as the family limpet-like friend Pamela.
- The titling of the film is truly unique. Matched with the dramatic music from “Zadoc the Priest” it makes for an opening that makes you just go “WOW!”.
Negatives:
- I’m sure you do the same as I do. If there is an ‘out there’ incident in a film, you flinch and go “Ooh, really?”. Well, Emerald Fennell has here given us a film with an “Ooh, really” incident about every five minutes! Some are in the dialogue (I personally thought a comment about paedophilia was a misstep) but more are in physical scenes that once seen you can’t unsee. Some of these are doozies and will disgust some viewers. As the saying goes “Viewer Discretion Advised!”.
- This film reminded me of the famous note that a little girl on a flight passed to the pilot. The note ended “Thanks for a nice flight. p.s. don’t fuck up the landing”. In my view, Fennell fucked up the landing. I’m not sure what ending I wanted for this film, but this really wasn’t it. It took the needle to eleven. (And no, I’m not talking about Barry Keoghan’s dance sequence here: imho the best dance through a house since Hugh Grant rocked Downing Street in “Love Actually”).
- I wasn’t a fan of the square screen format: just being different for different’s sake.
Summary Thoughts on “Saltburn”
I can see this being a divisive film. It is SUCH a movie experience that I feel EVERYONE should go and see it on its release. (Saltburn is due to open in the UK on November 17th 2023.) You might love it; you might be disgusted by parts of it; but it WILL move your emotional needle – guaranteed.
If you are like me, it will also never let you look at a freshly filled grave that same way again!
Where to Watch it (Powered by Justwatch)
Trailer for “Saltburn”:
The (impressive) trailer is here .
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