Saltburn

Saltburn

Now this was an interesting film. It's a mind game. It's manipulation. And it's nefarious. Be prepared to squirm Be prepared to gasp. Be prepared to say "oh dear God" a few times. The movie follows a very shy and quiet Oxford student on his quest to fit in. After a school year, he is invited to join his new friend at his family's enormous castle where we definitely see him in a fish out of water situation.

Then things... happen. Oh boy do they happen. This is all I'm going to say but be prepared for a wild ride, and don't be squeamish. I enjoyed this, but it really deserves its R rating. It's very adult and highlights the depths human beings can go, regardless of material wealth.

You know I love to find the human experience presented, possibly with a lesson in mental health awareness. Oh God no. Perhaps there is awareness, but there is no lesson.

Rosamund Pike does steal the show. Her one liners are absolutely hilarious.

Enjoy the ride.

Saltburn is a bold, unsettling ride that delves deep into the complexities of class, obsession, and moral ambiguity, mixing Greek mythology with contemporary social commentary. The story follows Ollie (played by Barry Keoghan), a shy and awkward Oxford student who's drawn into the luxurious, decadent world of his aristocratic friend, Felix (Jacob Elordi). As the film unravels, it reveals the stark contrast between public personas and private realities, critiquing both societal norms and the shallowness of social media culture.

Winny found the performances absolutely stellar, particularly Barry Keoghan's portrayal of Ollie. He was drawn into the character's obsession and vulnerability, and the dynamics between Ollie and Felix were captivating. Jacob Elordi's portrayal of Felix added a charming yet sinister layer to the film, while Rosamund Pike stole every scene she was in, with her sharp, cutting one-liners and magnetic presence. The trio really made this darkly comedic, disturbing narrative come to life in a way that kept Winny hooked.

Willow, Amy, and Tails had mixed feelings. While Willow acknowledged the strong performances, he felt the pacing and some of the shocking scenes were a bit of a distraction. The film seemed to drag at points, and some of the more intense moments felt jarring rather than adding to the tension. Amy agreed, noting that while the film's exploration of obsession and class was fascinating, some of the more shocking moments-particularly the controversial sex scenes-took away from the overall tone. Tails was also caught off guard by some of the film's twists, which seemed overly melodramatic at times.

Mimikyu, however, found herself genuinely squeamish throughout the film. The brutality of some scenes made her feel uneasy, and she couldn't shake the discomfort they left behind. While she appreciated the dark, twisted elements of the plot, the graphic content was a bit much for her, leaving her feeling more repulsed than intrigued at certain points.

Sweet, on the other hand, appreciated the aesthetic side of Saltburn, praising the cinematography and the production design. The rich, opulent mansion and the meticulous visual storytelling helped to elevate the film's critique of privilege and social media superficiality. He felt that while the film's technical aspects were strong, the narrative and character development were lacking in some areas. Sweet found himself longing for a deeper exploration of the characters' inner lives, especially Ollie's motivations, which were only partially explored.

At the end of the day, Saltburn is an ambitious, darkly comedic film that forces viewers to grapple with uncomfortable truths about societal norms, ambition, and the desire for status. While the performances and production values are outstanding, some of the pacing issues and narrative choices may leave some viewers feeling disconnected. For us, Saltburn lands at a 7/10-it's a film worth watching for its dark humor and provocative themes, but it may not resonate with everyone in the long run.

Saltburn moves along at a good pace, rather stylish and hip as it creates some anticipation for where it may be going. It develops a bit of mystery but we never understand the motivation for the protagonist character. Not much depth for the various character, so can't get invested in them. Several scenes are designed to depict ridiculous opulence and wealth, so as to contribute to why the main character has disdain for this, yet we don't ever feel this disdain.

As the end approaches it becomes predictable while it quickly and conveniently fills in the holes of whatever mysteries it tried to create. Overall, Saltburn lacks substance and hence I was left feeling with the lack of meaning for whatever message the film is trying to depict.

This is a story that cleverly and darkly portray the class disparity and it's societal mutations. We see household of the working man all shattered with shame. We see the palace loosely knit with wealth. And we see the palace dwelling Cuckoo with madness in his gaze and forethought in his manner. Excellent performances especially by Barry Keoghan. Vivid visuals keeps the audience on the edge. Excellent cinematography that adds the twisted mysteriousness to every frame. Great sound effects to deliver the liveliness of characters. Contrasting background music to remind the SaltBurn is never what you expect till the very end.

It's clear this film isn't for everyone. Sometimes when a plot isn't spoon fed to the audience you lose that audience but it's ok, not everything is for everyone.

Personally I thought it was very well done.

Perhaps it is being British myself that I can see this is clearly a riotous comedy in the vein of poking fun not just at the upper crust but also those who aspire to it.

People seem to think this is a thriller but it seems to me more like a set them up then watch the dominos fall film.

Rosamund Pike has so many witty one liners and Richard grant is just perfect along with Carey mulligan as Poor Dear Pamela. I could delve into what does it say about class, privilege, social mobility etc but none of that matters. I think Emerald Fennell captured a cartoonish yet almost believable representation of the out of touch old money families of the UK and what it may be like not to have a financial care in the world.

Barry Keoghan is equal parts charismatic and revolting as evidenced by his actions but we are never given more that the briefest sense of why, which doesn't matter because this is an absurd bit of fun that stays with you for days after.

And about that last scene, I recently discovered it's a redux of the original video for murder on the dance floor. So there you go.

I found this film, funny, gross and very memorable. Emerald Fennell did a great job.