We often gaze into mirrors, staring aimlessly at someone who doesn’t exist. The idea of the person is real, but it takes work to truly become the person we desperately desire. Whichever way we choose to become that person defines who we are. Deception is a powerfully compromising tool that is as seductive as it is treacherous. In Saltburn (2023), deception is a shortcut that births the destined reflection of one’s true self.
After Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) miraculously befriends the most charming and popular Oxford University student, his life changes dramatically. Oliver’s tragic upbringing encourages Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi) to take Oliver under his wing and give him a taste of the privileged life that he never had. Having Oliver stay with him at Saltburn, Felix’s family’s estate, the lowest point in Oliver’s life suddenly becomes the most joyous as he experiences everything he’s always dreamed of.
Academy Award-winning writer and director Emerald Fennell’s latest film is a significant departure from her directorial debut Promising Young Woman (2020). In many ways, Saltburn feels like an evolution that addresses the director’s previous shortcomings while enhancing nearly everything that worked so well in her initial outing. If Promising Young Woman was a cautionary revenge tale, Saltburn is a patient saga of the parasitic tendencies of jealousy.
When Oliver arrives at Saltburn, he instantly finds the acceptance and love that he’s always craved. Felix’s mother, Elsbeth (Rosamund Pike), takes an instant liking to Oliver for his desirable physical features, while Felix’s father, James (Richard E. Grant), admires his brilliant intellect. Oliver’s popularity captures the attention of his sister, Venetia (Alison Oliver), who already lives in the shadow cast by Felix’s glowing orbit. Even more insecure by Oliver’s arrival is Farleigh (Archie Madekwe), a close family relative who could lose the life the Cattons provide for him at any moment they deem fit.
The Catton’s luxurious entitlement allows them to disregard any of life’s unpleasantries; in fact, they actively ignore them so they don’t break the illusion of perfection that they’ve built for themselves. They keep people around as long as their company is beneficial to them, and they never hesitate to cut a lifeline. Viewers receive a glimpse of their uncaring nature when Pamela (Carey Mulligan), a friend of Elsbeth’s, is suddenly escorted off the property one morning as if she never existed in the first place.
Elsbeth, especially, wants to know nothing of sadness or any other emotion that can be deemed imperfect. All she cares about is preserving her exquisite life – no matter how it affects those around her. Pike, who often provides some of the movie’s best comedic beats, takes a dry approach to the character. The scenes in which she interacts with Mulligan are some of the most hysterical in the entire film. Although Elsbeth is deliberately shallow as a character, Pike adds depth to her when the film calls for it, especially as the conclusion draws near.
A major supporting standout is Farleigh, whose antagonistic presence creates tension in every interaction he has with Oliver. Conversely, Madekwe plays the character with an infectiously playful demeanor. Farleigh takes every chance he gets to embarrass Oliver in an attempt to preserve the privilege that he has been spoon-fed his entire life. His fear of being replaced causes him to act out in ways that are heightened by Madekwe’s mischievous nature. A karaoke scene perfectly demonstrates the lengths Farleigh is willing to go to insult and ridicule Oliver to ruin his relationship with the Cattons.
Fennel’s ability to curate excellent soundtracks of licensed music is quickly becoming a trademark of her filmmaking style. Saltburn takes place in the early 2000s and features no shortage of pop hits of the time, along with a slew of cultural references to movies like Superbad (2007) and The Ring (2002). Characters are even seen reading the latest Harry Potter novel, which leads to one of the film’s funniest beats. As one of the first original period pieces set in this era, Fennel captures the naivete of the time and uses it to reflect directly on her characters.
When the soundtrack isn’t blasting hit songs, Anthony Willis’ sweeping score envelops the viewer while simultaneously providing foreboding undertones that grow more apparent as the film progresses. Willis understands exactly when the score should exist just under the surface and when it should overflow with playful, tense, and elegant melodies. It’s a slow buildup that becomes more clear as the story progresses, similar to a moth inching closer and closer to a burning flame.
Linus Sandgren’s cinematography, too, is the most awe-inspiring technical element of the film. Every frame pops with color and character – another growing trademark of Fennel’s. Even shots featuring grotesque or gruesome images like a vomit-covered sink are oddly appealing to the eye because of the way Sandgren’s intricate framing blends with the lighting. Shots like this are jarring but never in a way that feels contrary to the film’s identity. The 4:3 aspect ratio chosen for Saltburn encourages Fennel and Sandgren to fit as much life into a shot as possible, creating something utterly lush and beautiful.
Various shots of Oliver’s reflection appear throughout the film, signifying the layered dichotomy of the character. He is someone who looks into a mirror and hates what he sees – so much so that he decides to shatter his bedroom mirror in one scene only to find it instantly replaced in the next. A throughline in Saltburn is the question of whether Oliver truly loves Felix. Occasionally, the film jumps to Oliver in the present, looking back on his fateful 2007 summer with the Cattons, reflecting upon his actions and motivations. It’s clear from the beginning that Oliver’s relationship with Felix has a fatal end. When the conclusion arrives, and Oliver’s intentions are revealed, his character is seen in an entirely new light.
One of the flaws of Promising Young Woman was how its conclusion felt so jarringly contrary to what it seemed like the film was trying to say. In Saltburn, the ending is not only simply iconic but wonderfully justified by Oliver’s actions throughout the story. Although the journey in Fennell’s previous film was far better than its conclusion, the reverse is true here. There are times throughout the second and third acts of Saltburn that feel like Fennel loses track of a core element of the story. Oliver and Felix’s relationship is arguably the crux of Saltburn, yet it feels like it gets tossed to the wayside as the film progresses. By the time their friendship reaches its fatal conclusion, viewers can’t help but wonder if the story could’ve benefitted from at least a couple more scenes focusing on them rather than Oliver’s relationship with the rest of the family.
This would have been beneficial for several reasons – one of which is because Keoghan and Elordi are fantastic together. Between Saltburn and Priscilla (2023), Elordi has demonstrated tremendous growth as an actor and a commendable dedication to his craft. Felix could have felt like an unattainable God-like being, but Elordi brings him down to earth through his endearing work. Felix may be one of the most privileged characters ever put to screen, but there is a genuine kindness to him that is showcased through his bond with Oliver.
Meanwhile, Keoghan delivers some of his best work yet. The Academy Award-nominated actor gives what is likely the most daring performance of the year, and he relishes every bit of it. There are two one-shot sequences that many actors likely would view as too risky, but Keoghan sells them because of the raw emotion he pours into this role. Even in moments that are designed to make the viewer feel the urge to look away, they find they’re continuously affixed on Keoghan’s astonishingly fearless work.
Saltburn sinks its teeth into viewers with its alluring Shakespearian tale of the lengths a person will go to attain their jealousy-fueled desires. It’s a steamy representation of all of the hidden urges that arise exclusively during the hottest summers and provides a transfixing, transportive experience.
As soon as the movie ends, Fennell makes viewers wish to get lost in Saltburn again.
Review Courtesy of Evan Miller
Feature Image Credit to Amazon Studios Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer via The Hollywood Reporter
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