The Contentious Intentions of Saltburn

Nov 21

There is a moment in Emerald Fennel’s new psycho-sexual thriller, Saltburn, where her protagonist, Oliver Quick, morphs into an entirely new person, undermining the audience’s previous presumptions of him. Formerly a naive genius trying to succeed at Oxford, Oliver becomes an obsessive peeping Tom with contentious intentions. As seen in her directorial debut, Promising Young Woman, Fennel is no stranger to controversy and as a result, Saltburn is filled with her usual dark and unexpected twists and turns, so much so that it eventually becomes too much. The film experiences countless tonal shifts making it difficult to keep up with Fennel’s agenda.

Known for blending genres to send political messages, Fennel finds enjoyment in surprising her audience. Promising Young Woman addresses an all-too-common social issue (date rape), but the means by which Fennel’s protagonist, Cassie, tries to solve said issue, is shocking and audacious. The film’s fake ending is shocking, only for the real ending to pop up and throw the audience into turmoil. Fennel does not shy away from this behavior in her new film, the word “audacious” even appearing in the film’s trailer as a critic’s comment. She preys on her usual theme of loneliness and being an outsider to critique the behavior of society’s uber-rich, but her message gets lost in the shuffle of numerous ideas. Saltburn is psychological, delightfully salacious, yet also funny. Having had the opportunity to talk to Fennel, I understand her intentions, but to the average audience member, Saltburn could easily become confusing.

The film follows Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) as he struggles to find his footing socially during his freshman year at Oxford. He quickly befriends the irresistible yet out-of-touch Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi), who invites him to spend the summer at his sprawling English estate, Saltburn. The majority of the film takes place at the estate, with only the first act focusing on Oxford. As soon as they step foot on the carefully manicured lawns of Satburn, Oliver and Felix forget about university and turn their attention to doing absolutely nothing. Their utter respite combined with the eclectic yet glamorous decorations of Saltburn is reminiscent of the popular genre of English country house novels. Similar to those of its protagonist, the film begins with innocent intentions, but quickly takes a dark twist as Fennel blurs the lines between love and obsession, friend and lover, essentially redefining the bounds of male friendship.

Felix’s outrageous family only enhances the film’s setting. His mother, Elsbeth Catton, played wonderfully by England’s national treasure, Rosamund Pike, perfectly embodies the sheltered persona of the wealthy elite through her witty one-liners about the horrors of ugliness and her sole activity of leisure. Richard E. Grant plays Sir James, the patriarch of the family and in doing so, Grant perfects the balance between the bumbling ignorant yet conniving rich man, who plays with money when life becomes an inconvenience. The film’s antagonist of sorts is Felix’s sister, Venetia (Allison Oliver) whose flippant attitude regarding others is reminiscent of Lucy Boynton’s The Politician character, Astrid. The final main cast member is Farleigh (Archie Madekwe), Felix’s “cousin” and the only one immune to Oliver's charms. I would be remiss if I left out “dear dear Pamela”, acted brilliantly by Fennel’s previous collaborator, Carey Mulligan. Her character is somewhat of a ghost, serving no real purpose to the plot except to highlight the Catton family’s questionable treatment of the lower-class.

Saltburn could be considered a reimagining of the 1999 classic, The Talented Mr. Ripley, but on a much wider and messier scale. Similar to the beloved Tom, Oliver Quick is in love with the object of his desires, Felix, though he repeatedly tries to convince the audience, and himself, otherwise. Oliver never consummates his desires however, as according to Fennel, the point of the film “is when love can’t find its home”. However, Mr. Ripley tells the same story more efficiently than Saltburn, as it refrains from comedy. Although I enjoyed the jocose dialogue, mostly reserved for Elsbeth’s random quips about the struggles of being wealthy, it draws attention away from Fennel’s original goals.

The stellar performances by Fennel’s cast allows the audience to temporarily forget about the film’s vacillating tones. Barry Keoghan completely leaves himself behind, including his pride, as he submits to completely unexpected actions that may or may not have been completely necessary. Jacob Elordi, who plays Elvis in Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, continues his streak as a serious actor, which started with his darkly complex character Nate Jacobs in the HBO hit Euphoria. On the surface level, Felix doesn’t possess much depth, but Elordi’s performance walks the fine line between Felix’s weird desire to care for the needy and his natural instinct to dominate them. As seasoned actors Rosamund Pike and Richard E. Grant deliver wonderful performances, creating the perfect country house aristocrats. The only weak link is Archie Madekwe. Farleigh is somewhat of a predictable character, as Oliver needs competition, an opposing force, and while Madekwe’s performance isn’t bad, he fails to bring anything new to the character.

Fennel’s sophomore film is visually stunning, complemented with a beautiful score written by Anthony Willis, who also composed Promising Young Woman. The film’s deep saturation enhances the film’s red and green color palette. Color evidently changes the viewing experience of Saltburn, especially the latter half, as the tension picks up and harsh neon hues create shadows across the characters, illuminating new sides to them yet to be discovered. Between the carefully paced cinematography and thrilling music, the technical elements of Saltburn do not disappoint.

Saltburn is well-written in pieces and well-acted, yet it doesn’t quite deliver the same punch as Promising Young Woman. Fennel’s debut was a sharp critique of the “he-said-she-said” complex. While Fennel continues her tradition of weaponizing sex, Saltburn flails around a bit, wandering in different directions before settling on one. Audiences will either love the film or dislike it, depending on their statute of limitations for scandalous sex scenes. While I enjoyed Fennel’s attention to homoerotic desire, it is not everyone’s cup of tea. Fennel’s intentions are hard to find, calling into question the necessity of this film. Saltburn is highly entertaining, but viewers may leave with more questions than answers, and while Fennel believes that this is the point of moviegoing, I for one, have to disagree.