Life Through the Lens: Lusting and loathing at ‘Saltburn’
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"Lots of people get lost in Saltburn."
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Our current culture has much to malign. Any time the topic is broached, my crotchety old man vibe takes over. If the word "TikTok" is uttered, my eyes will not be denied from rolling with attitude. If I see someone riding a bike while simultaneously using their phone, I cannot help myself but audibly groan. If I hear another innocent child mention the words "influencer" or "YouTuber," I can't be responsible for the depth to which my shoulders will sink in resignation.
One of my biggest pet peeves in our current culture is our obsession with fame. It is glorified as the end-all and be-all for aspirations. It is held in the loftiest of speech and recognition. It is our American version of royalty, a social class only briefly glimpsed when the clouds part in the heavens.
Then, when we are done with that person, we refuse them. We recycle them for a newer model. We are vicious in our affection and ruthless in our contempt. We pervert the whole spectrum! Our love is just uncontrolled lust while our dislike degrades into loathing. We are spitting potion or poison on every object of our attention.
Can't we just admire without obsessing?
Can't we just move on without destroying?
***
Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) is new to Oxford University. Right away, he finds the atmosphere suffocatingly exclusive and elite. He has no place to belong. There is warmth on campus, but it is consistently out of his reach.
In a chance encounter, Oliver meets Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi). Although Oliver has admired him from afar for his immense charm and unquantifiable magnetism, Oliver has never spoken to Felix ... until a flat tire sparks a relationship. One favor leads to conversation which leads to trust which leads to friendship. Before you know it, Oliver has gained a seat at the Oxford table.
When break rolls around, it is time for the student body to return home. While Felix will gladly return to his family home (a 14th century castle in the English countryside complete with vast gardens and endless amenities), Oliver is not so lucky. He confides in Felix that his parents are drug users and unsafe. His home life is something that has driven him far away. When news of Oliver's father's untimely (although not unexpected) death is delivered, Felix makes a request: Oliver must come stay with him and his family over break ... and he won't take no for an answer.
Poor Oliver is invited into luxury, into society, into the clouds.
What begins as a favor to the downtrodden slowly becomes something else, though -- something far more subtly sinister. Oliver seems to have eyes for all that he sees. He seems determined to consume this couture culture ... and Oliver has quite the appetite.
***
Let me begin with a disclaimer: this movie will not be for everyone. When a movie has as many 1-star ratings as 5-star ratings, that is a sure-fire way to tell that the movie is divisively bold. "Saltburn" pushes everyone to places uncomfortable and uncommon ... and I am putting that lightly.
In only two feature films, director/writer Emerald Fennell has become a favorite of mine. She is brave beyond boundaries -- she is pure in vision and skilled in composition. Fennell, with her first feature "Promising Young Woman" (2020), established her voice as both contemporary and commanding. With "Saltburn," she has blasted the doors off the director boys club. She is a force to be reckoned with!
Fennell has created a modern masterpiece of decadence and depravity. It is shocking, stupid, hilarious and gorgeous. It is, oftentimes, hard to look at but impossible to ignore. My favorite thing by far about her evolution as a director is her eye for beauty. This might be (emphasize might) the most beautiful movie I have ever seen. She captures every feeling, every corner, every illusion -- nothing is wasted but, instead, used toward an overall, indescribable elegance. I am beyond impressed by the development in her visual language.
Fennell's ideas are perfectly realized through the help of cinematographer Linus Sandgren. The movement is captivating -- the composition is breathtaking -- the originality and delicacy are unforgettable. The production design of Suzie Davies exemplifies and highlights each moment; the house comes alive and feels imperative. The art direction of Caroline Barclay is stunning at every glance. The whole team behind "Saltburn" clicks effortlessly.
The cast is wonderful, as well. Barry Keoghan is a star, always capable and never lazy. He tackles difficult roles and always delivers. Jacob Elordi is electric as Felix. Archie Madekwe is effectively frustrating as Farleigh. Richard E. Grant is mysteriously layered as Sir James Catton. Rosamund Pike is a scene-stealer as Elspeth Catton. Carey Mulligan, although only on screen a short time, is hilarious and textured as Poor Dear Pamela. Alison Oliver is exciting and earnest as Venetia Catton. Every scene is inhabited by real, authentic performances.
My only hesitation comes with Fennell's script. Although ambitious and audacious, it lacks the sharpness of "Promising Young Woman." It has many of the same elements and energy but lacks in a bit of the bite. Oh ... and that graveyard scene; I would have liked that to stop short a bit. You'll know what I am referring to if you watch it.
For all its shock and awe, it is a work of art filled-to-bursting with jaw-dropping splendor. It is a gutsy allegory for our culture's insatiable desire to gorge on class then carelessly expel it from our ... well ... you know.
***
REPORT CARD: "Saltburn."
Grade: A+.
Assessment: An uncompromising vision of lusting and loathing