Emily Allgair, Editor

Emerald Fennell’s “Saltburn” is a jaw dropping, perverted, and overall beautiful film that satirizes the extravagance that is expected among wealth. This psychological thriller is just that – with twists and turns, and scenes that will make the whole theater gasp – “Saltburn” is not for the faint of heart but if you are willing to take that risk, it is so worth it.

Barry Keoghan (Oliver Quick) gives an amazing performance throughout. As the plot progresses and the audience begins to put the pieces together, Keoghan’s fearless choices become more enthralling and anodyne. It is hard to say who stole the spotlight, however, as the entire ensemble performance is phenomenal. Whether it be Rosamund Pike (Elsbeth Catton) and her witty one-liners, Carey Mulligan’s (Pamela) cameo or Archie Madekwe (Farleigh Start) and his portrayal of a prick that you learn to love, Emerald Fennell’s casting choices were sensational. And of course, Jacob Elordi (Felix Catton) is provocative in every sense.

In the words of Fennell herself, Elordi does something intentionally cruel in every scene to prove that he is “a mortal disguised as a God.” The idea of Felix, throughout the film, is so seductive, but as time goes on, you find that Oliver is much more interesting. Without revealing too much, “Saltburn” is ultimately a film about love, although sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the plot. 

One of the best parts of this movie is the response and reaction it gets from the audience. Fennell coined herself as a director who makes movies for the audience to decide how to respond on their own, and “Saltburn” is no different. In being so, this film is almost interactive in the sense that you, as the audience, do not know how you are supposed to respond to what you see. 

Sexual, sensual and ludicrous, the emotional scenes of this movie would suddenly take a turn, although it was by no means offputting, which brings me to my next point of why this movie should be added to your watchlist. The overall balance of Fennell’s film is beautiful. Whether it be the balance between the soundtrack and the natural sound during certain sequences or the balance between light and dark, especially in the bedroom scene with Oliver and Farleigh, everything was complimentary. 

One of the underlying elements of this film was the ability to recognize humanity. Most characters were far from likable, but you could sympathize with them – which ties back into the amazing ensemble performance. Full of wealthy snobs, it is easy to villainize the Cattons, but by the end of the film, everyone is seen as human. 

Again, “Saltburn” is not for the faint of heart, but for those who are up for a little challenge, it is, in my opinion, very worth the watch. If the film interests you, but you aren’t sure if you can squirm within a movie theater, keep an eye out between December 2023 and February 2024 on Amazon Prime for the film to be streamed. And for those of you who choose to watch the film, whether it be now in theaters or later in the comfort of your own home, just remember that we’re all about to lose our minds.