This article contains spoilers.
Saltburn, directed by Emerald Fennell and starring Barry Keoghan and Jacob Elordi, is a tale of desire and obsession taking place in the British countryside over a summer in 2006. Immediately after the movie’s release, social media was ablaze with criticism, reviews, and a whirlwind of opinions. So what took the internet by storm? Was the film really that good? Was it worth the hype? Aside from the countless reaction videos circulating social media, nothing was quite like the ride of Saltburn.
The film opens in 2006 at Oxford University and follows Oliver Quick (Keoghan), a somewhat nerdy outcast scholarship student finding his place on campus. Oliver soon runs into Felix Catton (Elordi), the charismatically aloof and wealthy student. The two quickly become friends, and Felix invites Oliver to spend the summer at his family home, Saltburn. Located at Northamptonshire, Saltburn is a large, historic manor surrounded by ponds, grass fields, the occasional tree, and a very extensive labyrinth. Oliver’s arrival at Saltburn triggers a series of events that would eventually cause the fall of the family.
The story is simple: a young man, obsessed with wealth and power, targets his rich friend’s family to gain access to their wealth. However, Fennell executes this simplicity brilliantly. To understand the film is to understand the two characters, Oliver and Felix, and their intertwined, complex relationship. Their relationship is artificial, as Oliver is revealed to have concocted a plan to “befriend” Felix in the beginning. However, as much as their relationship is ingenuine, there is truth to Oliver’s obsession with Felix. Felix is the embodiment of alluring power and light, as he naturally is able to draw people in, but this does not make him a morally good character. He is flawed in many ways; his imperfections and cracks can be seen in the objectification of his relationships with multiple girls and friends. From his first steps into Saltburn, Oliver changes, exposing his true self and intentions: his extreme obsession with Felix ultimately leads to his murder of Felix and the downfall of Saltburn. Oliver develops positive relationships with each family member in order to slowly manipulate them to do what he wants. By the end of the film, it is quite obvious that Oliver was in the wrong the entire time, but this manipulation is a necessary evil in his opinion. He states to a dying Elsbeth Catton that, “Accidents are for people like you. For the rest of us, there’s work. And unlike you. I actually know how to work.” There is no justification for Oliver’s actions, but his choices serve as a reflection of the deep similarities between Oliver and the Catton family.
The execution of the film is also intriguing. Everything makes perfect sense; each event, no matter how absurd or shocking, all comes together in the end. There are some extremely explicit scenes marked throughout the film, yet each of them are placed in the film with purpose and intent to cause the audience to feel discomfort, disgust or pure shock. The drama of those scenes show the extremes of both Oliver, who is the instigator, but also the entire family who resides in Saltburn. Oliver is willing to go to the extremes to climb the ladder or submit to his obsessions. The Catton family is willing to go to any extremes to keep their wealth and comfort.
Saltburn’s cinematography also stands on its own. Scattered throughout the film are countless scenes that serve to build up the tension between Oliver and the Cattons, and amazing shots of Oliver’s interactions with the family and his exploration of the mansion add a new sense of depth to Oliver’s character. Saltburn manor’s design continuously impresses throughout the movie as well. The mansion is incredibly detailed and elegantly brought to life, which is crucial because it is the centerpiece of the movie overall. Saltburn is a gorgeously aged manor; however, it is strewn with mismatched clothing everywhere, unkempt and disorganized. The setting contrasts the manor’s sophisticated, wealthy air with the easy, laidback attitude of the Catton family. These choices add more to the overall feel and understanding of the film itself, as well as how the house is the embodiment of the family. One scene that stood out was a single shot of Felix in the beginning of the film, when Oliver and Felix are spending time in Felix’s dorm. He is captured sitting in front of a window, bathed in sunlight, creating a god-like glow. This single scene explains Oliver and his relationship with Felix—Oliver sees Felix as someone to be worshipped, someone to be revered, but also someone Oliver desires to become. Such a simple shot conveys so much about Oliver’s truest thoughts and desires about Felix.
Saltburn might live on as bizarre social media blind reactions, but it should forever be remembered for its fantastic storytelling and vibrantly colorful cinematography.
