Emerald Fennell’s latest film Saltburn (2023) isn’t as promising as her directorial debut Promising Young Woman (2020) but those who appreciate allusions to Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca (1940), Ken Russell’s Women in Love (1969), Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (1980), and Anthony Minghella’s The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) should find it entertaining.
The black comedy/psychological thriller about class envy playfully blends sociopathy, seduction and satire into a Champagne cocktail served in a dirty glass. For some, the film’s farcical style will hit the spot. For others, its gross-out scenes will leave a bad taste in their mouths.
The action begins at Oxford in 2006 when posh pretty boy Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi) takes unpopular student Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) under his wing. Later, Felix will actually wear angel wings for a Midsummer Night’s Dream-themed party.
Yes, Fennell, who serves as writer, director, and co-producer along with Josey McNamara and Margot Robbie, doesn’t shy away from overt symbolism. She also has a knack for choosing the right retro tunes to emphasize plot points. As such, Saltburn puts “Rent” (1987) by Pet Shop Boys and Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s “Murder On The Dancefloor” (2001) to good use.
On the downside, Saltburn is overly-long and covers familiar territory. Plus, Keoghan looks too old for the role. Yet generous viewers can justify the latter as a red flag waving over the character’s shady past.
After hearing Oliver’s supposed woes, Felix invites him to his family’s estate (nay castle) called Saltburn. There, Oliver is welcomed by the eccentric Catton family headed by the kind-hearted Sir James (Richard E. Grant) and the wickedly funny Lady Elspeth (Rosamund Pike).
For her pitch-perfect performance, Pike, like Keoghan, received a Golden Globe nomination. Elordi and Grant are equally excellent sans accolades. However, the Critics Choice Movie Awards recognized Saltburn with Best Picture, Best Production Design, and Best Cinematography nominations.
From the film’s 4:3 format to shots of tuxedoed aristocrats playing tennis, it’s clear Fennell has an eye for visual storytelling. She also has an ear for humorous dialogue.
While reflecting on her days as a model, hanging out in the BritPop scene, Lady Elspeth implies via denial that Jarvis Cocker wrote “Common People” (1995) about her. With false modesty, Pike comically delivers the first line of the Pulp song, saying “Well, ‘she came from Greece, she had a thirst for knowledge.’ It couldn’t have been about me. I’ve never wanted to know anything.”
In a very amusing cameo, Promising Young Woman star Carey Mulligan plays lingering houseguest Pamela who has the following exchange with new houseguest Oliver about her past lover.
Pamela: We met in rehab, so it was just so lovely at first. And then all of his business partners started falling out of windows, you know.
Oliver: Right. Lucky escape.
Pamela: I suppose so. But he spoke Russian all the time, and it just sounded so romantic. And I don’t know the word for whores so I thought it sounded like lovely poetry.
That sentiment sums up this film. There’s lovely poetic imagery on the surface with people doing nasty things for money beneath. In the end, Saltburn is a cautionary tale about wolves in (and out of) sheep’s clothing.