Saltburn

Saltburn (2023)

Emerald Fennel follows up her Oscar winning debut Promising Young Woman with this here film about a promising young man.

Set in 2006 - presumably for the absence of social media - Barry Keoghan (nominated this year for The Banshees of Inisherin) plays Scouse scholarshipee Oliver, exhibiting every inch the fish out of water inner-saboteur at Oxford University. Education is the last thing on the agenda when he develops the heaviest of all crushes on the charismatic fop Felix (played with an excellent accent by Australian Jacob Elordi). Aspiring to be his best friend he quite rightly ditches his grotesque companion when opportunity knocks. A genuine closeness blossoms and Oliver is invited to summer with Felix at his family estate; Saltburn. Aristocratic tropes ensue.

We are introduced to the family - captivatingly acted by Richard E. Grant and Rosamund Pike. Despite being inexplicably shallow you can’t help but want more time with them. The simplicity of these superficial people is oddly endearing.

In fact that’s what’s indicative of the film as a whole. It’s rather shallow and I could’ve done with more. More darkness. More debauchery. More flippancy. Deeper betrayal. Deeper horror. Having said that it’s a visually stunning film. Hats off to cinematographer Linus Sangdren. England’s countryside has never looked more bewitching.

Predictable in parts this was throughly engaging and entertaining but nowhere near as disturbing as the cry-babies on the internet would have you believe. It’s no The Talented Mr Ripley or even Promising Young Woman.  But the performances are compelling particularly by the beguiling Barry Keoghan and his exceptionally muscular back.

6 Gate-keeping Thumbs Up 👍🏻