Emerald Fennell’s second directorial feature, Saltburn, is equal parts psychosexual thriller and dark comedy. The film premiered at the 50th Telluride Film Festival in August and has quickly become one of the most anticipated releases of the fall 2023 season. This is in large part due to Jacob Elordi’s rising star and how heavily he has been featured in the film’s marketing. Elordi plays Felix Catton, the obsession and object of affection for Saltburn’s protagonist Oliver Quick, played by Barry Keoghan. Once the SAG strike came to an end, Elordi and Keoghan hit the press release circuit, dishing on the film’s many shocking scenes and playing up the homoeroticism that was front and center in every trailer. 

Saltburn tells the story of Oliver Quick, a brilliant, yet unlikely Oxford student who is constantly confronted with the fact that he does not come from privilege like his peers. Oliver’s admiration for Felix is rooted primarily in his desire to move through the world with the ease he perceives Felix to. Oliver wins over Felix’s sympathy by revealing that he grew up poor because of his parent’s addiction problems. His attraction to Felix grows further into obsession as the two become friends. Felix attempts to distance himself until Oliver learns of his father’s death. Not wanting to return home and with nowhere else to go, Felix invites Oliver to spend the summer at his family’s estate, Saltburn.

Once Oliver arrives at Saltburn, the film amps up the tension as Felix’s eccentric family invites Oliver into their decadent world and his desperation for acceptance is on full display. The whole family, led by a brilliantly funny Rosamund Pike, express pity for Oliver’s family history and yet festishize his “realness”. This becomes the driving force of the film’s second act, Oliver eager to please and schmooze his way into the Catton family and Felix increasingly skeptical of his motivations. This builds to the film’s shocking conclusion, where Oliver’s deceitfulness is finally exposed but at that point it is far too late. Keoghan gives an unbelievably committed performance in this role. Oliver does some despicable and downright disgusting acts, yet you never feel Keoghan flinch. There’s a deep and desperate longing that is hard to watch, in the best way possible. Despite his flaws, Keoghan’s portrayal is sympathetic towards the desire we all have for acceptance.

Saltburn is an absolute feast for the eyes. Fennell is incredibly skillful in her blocking, set design, costuming, and even her mid 2000’s indie needledrops. It all works cohesively to depict the estate as a character in its own right, one which is esteemed and shiny if not a little rotted underneath. There are several great examples of this contrast, a standout for me is the whole family watching Superbad while sitting on a million dollar couch in a room full of priceless art. Not a single shot is wasted, each filled with detail and purpose. The film is shot in a 1:33:1 aspect ratio which excels at keeping the tight, claustrophobic feeling throughout. It also shows off the towering ceilings of the estate, contributing to the grand and oppressive mystique Saltburn has over Oliver. The beauty of Saltburn can be credited to Linus Sandgren, the film’s cinematographer known for his work in La La Land and Babylon. Sandgren’s use of color, mirrored images, and scale all work seamlessly to underscore Oliver’s psychological descent and will likely earn him another Academy Award. Seriously, if I can give you any reason to see Saltburn in theaters, it is because of Sandgren. 

Fennell’s Academy Award winning, Promising Young Woman, was received well among critics praising it for its bold and provocative themes and choices. I really enjoyed this revenge thriller, and despite feeling like it was a bit gratuitous at times, I was surprised and fully satisfied by Promising Young Woman’s ending. I unfortunately cannot say the same for Saltburn. The disappointing final act transported me to an entirely different movie. Suddenly Oliver’s motivations became unclear to me and I found myself struggling to make sense of what Fennell is trying to say with Saltburn. The uncharitable read of this story seems to suggest that there’s something corruptible about the middle class’s resentment towards the ultra wealthy. That the feeling comes from envy, not morality, and the desire to replace the rich rather than redistribute their wealth. An even less charitable read is that the story entirely takes a back seat to the sexy, queer(ish) main characters, meaningless shock value, and a half-hearted, quasi-populist, “eat the rich” narrative. I want to believe there is more to Saltburn than meets the eye, but as of writing this, I’m still no closer to understanding its message. There’s so much to love about Saltburn, all the pieces are there, but it just doesn’t quite stick the landing.