Saltburn could have been great. It’s a film about an Oxford University student (Barry Keoghan) who befriends an upper class, wealthy fellow student (Jacob Elordi) and is invited to stay at his family’s huge county house, Saltburn. A fine premise for a dark comedy-cum-psychological thriller, and the leads play their parts very well. Elordi is suitably shy and unbecoming; Elordi is bold and charming. The stage is set for the British class system to collapse in on itself.
The problem is Emerald Fennell’s direction. The film is rife with what can only be described as shock value and attempts to have clips shared on social media. This is a film made in 2023, the age of TikTok, and it sure as hell looks like it. If it’s true that people have shorter attention spans now, Fennel knows it, and conjures up a new twisted set-piece every 5 to 10 minutes. It’s not as if film hasn’t shocked or challenged before, it’s just offensive that it’s done so obviously and abrasively as it is here.
It’s a shame, because the cinematography is excellent. Look up stills from the film and you’ll have an idea as to how beautifully Oxford University and the lives of the upper class can be captured. The supporting cast, also, deliver excellent performances, none more so than Rosamund Pike, who absolutely nails the British élite role.
An inherently flawed film, but one that has value in its beautiful cinematography and solid performances.
2023, Emerald Fennell
6.0
Reverse Lens 