FILM REVIEW: "Saltburn" is a perplexingly cynical and perverse satire
Cynical to its core, sometimes annoying, and perversely fun at points, Saltburn is a strange movie; insofar as it’s interesting to talk about with friends, even if the viewing experience isn’t wholly cohesive.
Part erotic thriller, part satire – and certainly of a piece with the emerging ‘eat the rich’ subgenre – Saltburn follows a wallflower university boy, Oliver (Barry Keoghan) who becomes infatuated with his wealthy and charming school mate, Felix (Jacob Elordi). Felix invites Oliver to his family’s estate, Saltburn for the summer. What’s meant to be a frivolous getaway turns into a salty letting of blood, tears, and naughty sweat.
Although the movie’s tone, cinematography, and magnificent cast appeal to a young film fan in 2023, Saltburn is set in 2006. A fun way to imbue a subtle nostalgic sheen for the 20 and 30-somethings who are certainly the target audience. It’s also a way to keep the film contemporary without relying on social media as a plot device, which would dilute the spicy soup of intrigue and deception. This sort of madcap kind of plot no longer has a place in a modern movie setting. I’ll spare the sermon (mostly) but I’m hoping authenticity and some mystery become the social currency soon.
Saltburn is good; well mounted, well performed, and funny at points. What kept me from fully loving it, though, was that its only true feeling was in its inartful pursuit of shock and disgust. The sexy parts aren’t wholly sexy; they are gross and sad. The funny parts aren’t wholly funny; they are gross and sad. There’s not much love or humanity here – no human ambivalence, really, because never forget, these characters exist to be pitied or laughed at. So, the strings are too visible, but the craft is nice.
