‘Saltburn’ review: The perfect combination of darkness, lust and secrets
Writer/director Emerald Fennell made a lot of furore in 2020 with her debut movie Promising Young Woman. The film wasn’t only a very contemporary feature because of the #metoo movement, but it also could count on a stunning performance by Carey Mulligan. Fennell (and Mulligan in a much smaller role) is now returning to the big screen with an even bolder and darker movie. Saltburn provides the perfect combination of darkness, lust and secrets and will forever change your mind about Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Murder on the Dancefloor (in either a good or bad way, depending on how you look at it).
Life hasn’t been easy for Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan). He doesn’t have a great relationship with his parents, and because he comes from a poorer upbringing than everyone else at Oxford University, he’s been seen as less worthy. However, his social status changes dramatically when the scholarship student from Northern England helps Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi) out during a moment of need. Felix is the spoilt rich kid with the charisma, friends and money, and is the guy everyone wants to be (with). Felix and Oliver become inseparable, and despite growing up in two different environments, they become best friends. Felix even asks Oliver to visit his parents’ lavish mansion, Saltburn, for the summer. And so Ollie embarks on what will undoubtedly be an unforgettable summer.
At first, he is overwhelmed by all the luxury Saltburn and its garden/maze ooze, but soon he realizes that it might all just be a façade. Felix’s parents (Elspeth Catton, played by Rosamund Pike, and Sir James Catton, portrayed by Richard E. Grant) don’t only have a lot of money but also many very dark secrets, involving Felix’s sister Vanetia (Alison Oliver) and cousin Farleigh (Archie Madekwe). But they might not be the only ones with secrets.
The storyline of Saltburn might feel too familiar and predictable (especially when Oliver and Felix become best friends), but Fennell still succeeds in keeping you on your toes the entire time as she throws in some surprising twists and dark secrets. The twists and turns are very noticeable and impactful, but they aren’t too sharp, and therefore, it doesn’t feel like you’re watching two halves of two different films. She makes Saltburn extremely close because of the 1.33.:1 ratio aspect of the movie. The ratio is chosen on purpose to heighten the emotional enrichment and to suck you into the lives of the Saltburn residents completely. The closeness is undoubtedly one of the strengths of this feature, especially when it all gets so much darker.
Congrats to cinematographer Linus Sandgren (La La Land), as well, as he brings out the best of that ratio aspect. His stunning shots ooze the extravagance and luxury of the Catton Family and what happens when people play pretend. You might want to look away at times because of the sexiness and horniness of this movie, but those well-framed, intimate shots don’t allow you to do that.
Speaking of the Catton family. There’s no denying that the family is a caricature of the pompous aristocratical families we see these days, but that makes this movie so much fun. Even more so because Pike and Grant are having a blast portraying two people who indeed lost touch with society. The scene-stealer Pike (I Care a Lot) brings so much fun and hilariousness to this movie. Her comedic timing is out of this world, and she nails the Saltburn tone completely. She goes from complimenting people (the patronizing compliments might not be very genuine) to revealing her bitter and sharp opinions about the less fortunate people around her. The scenes between her and Carey Mulligan — hiding under a bright red wig as Poor Dear Pamela — are certainly the most fun but cringy ones.
Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) gives a splendid performance as her on-screen husband, who might be very eccentric and polite but who certainly has no idea about how other people feel and what’s happening outside the gates of Saltburn. Elordi, the king of the accents this year, completes their family. After nailing Elvis’ Southern accent in Elvis (which will be released in the UK on the 1st of January 2024, with previews on the 26th of December), he now perfectly embraces the English posh boy accent. On top of that, his acting is hugely exhilarating and captivating.
While the supporting performances are remarkable, Saltburn is Keoghan’s movie. His fearless acting is even more twisted than his performance in The Killing of a Sacred Deer. He brings out every layer and secret of Oliver stunningly. Oliver knows how to adapt to every situation and social environment, allowing Keoghan to give us a multilayered and career-best performance. The movie has a voyeuristic vibe, mostly when Oliver is on screen. We see how he watches Felix and his family through the windows, via mirrors or just from behind a slightly open door. As an audience, you literally and figuratively see Oliver’s twisted mind. Fennell is a master in manipulation storywise and emotionally, and Keoghan embraces the manipulative side of his character amazingly.
Saltburn is an incredibly sharp and alluring movie, filled with darkness, tremendous performances and exuberant cinematography. The sexiness and voyeurism are off the charts, as is Keoghan’s acting. You won’t be able to keep your eyes off the screen as this delightfully dark drama is a journey full of threat, secrecy, nudity and sex.
Saltburn is out now in UK cinemas courtesy of MGM and Amazon Studios