By: Kimberly Grant

I don’t know if I love or hate this movie.

Saltburn is out in select theaters on November 17 and nationwide November 22.

First Impression

Written and direct by Best Screenplay Oscar-winner Emerald Fennell, Saltburn looks like a film about a young man exploring his sexuality over a summer break at his classmate’s castle.  The young man, Oliver Quick (played by Barry Keoghan), comes from nothing and just wants to live a happy life.  His classmate at Oxford University, Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi), has a family estate called Saltburn.  Now, Saltburn isn’t just a house.  It’s is a castle on a sprawling estate with a butler, footmen, and maids who serve the lord and lady of the house in modern day England. 

Yes, Felix comes from a wealthy aristocratic family with a house that looks straight out of Downton Abbey.  His parents, Lady Elspeth Catton (Rosamund Pike) and Sir James Catton (Richard E. Grant), are just what you would expect them to be.  So rich and comfortable in their life style that they’re aloof to the plight of others and spend their days gossiping about the less fortunate.

Their children and nephew, Felix, Venetia Catton (Alison Oliver), and Farleigh Start (Archie Madekwe), respectively, spend their summer days reading and getting into all sorts of weird rich people antics.  They then spend their summer nights dressed in tuxedos and gowns just to have dinner then get their clothes dirty doing things like play tennis and drink champagne.  There’s something enviable and ridiculous about all of it.

No One is Who They Seem

The second half of this film will have audiences guessing.  Is Felix really a nice person who invites a lonely Oliver to his family home for the summer or does he have an ulterior motive?  Is Oliver exploring his sexuality or is he being used by an aristocratic family for amusement?  Is Lady Elspeth really that dense or is she just medicated?  And, is Farleigh a troublemaker or does he actually see through the guises of the people around him?

I can’t answer any of these questions for you without ruining the movie.  What I can tell you is that Fennell managed to get some stellar actors in this film to play against type.  Madekwe of Gran Turismo fame plays a flamboyant and snobbish young man who spends most of the movie looking down his nose at Oliver.  Ewan Mitchell (lethal Prince Aemond in House of the Dragon) plays manic super nerd Michael Gavey.  Mitchell is almost unrecognizable without his eye patch; almost. His chin will always be a dead giveaway.

Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan takes a colorful turn as Lady Elspeth’s unfortunate friend Pamela.  Pamela is a hot mess in appearance and in life.  It’s a totally different kind of role for an actress who usually portrays serious characters.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

Oscar nominee Keoghan electrifies on the screen.  He exhibits the many faces of Oliver in ways that will have audiences still talking about him long after the credits have rolled.  Considering his body of work, which includes roles in Dunkirk, The Banshees of Inisherin, and The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Keoghan was born to act. This Irish actor is definitely a shoo-in for nominations come award season. 

Fresh off of playing Elvis in Priscilla, Elordi plays type as smoldering Felix who has won the genetic and life lotteries.  Felix is tall and good looking, and comes from a family with wealth and British titles.  Naturally everyone that he meets wants to either be him or have him; if you know what I mean.  But there is a vulnerability to Elordi that makes Felix more than just a party boy.  I’m glad that Fennell did more with this character. 

And then there’s Fennell, who shot the two hours plus Saltburn on 1.33:1 aspect ratio so that the screen is a square and the shots are tall to give the full weight of the high society in the film.  This square effect allows Fennell to get up close and personal with her characters so that they can’t hide their secrets from the audience.  Fennell is also Midge in Barbie, Camilla Parker Bowles in The Crown, as well as the writer/director for Promising Young Woman (Mulligan is its star) and has written episodes of Killing Eve.  Talk about massive talent.

Definitely A Conversation Starter

Fennell took some big risks in this film.  Risks that have an intense ick factor.  There will be “oh s***!” moments.  There will even be moments of laughter.  As you watch Saltburn in the theater, you and the audience will have collective responses that bring you closer together.  It will also get you talking.  You’ll discuss the way that Oliver responds to Felix.  You’ll talk about some unforgettable scenes in the movie.  You’ll even examine whether or not you watched a comedy, a horror, or a coming-of-age drama.

All things considered, I’m still not sure if I liked or hated Saltburn.  What I will say is that you should go see it with your friend (or lover) and have a great time.  Just remember: if you’re squeamish or blush at the thought of a naked body, then this is not the film for you.  Enjoy.

If you’re wondering about films that I’ve liked and disliked, you can always read my Entertainment Blog.

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