Director: Emerald Fennell
Writer: Emerald Fennell
Cast: Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant, Archie Madekwe, Alison Oliver, Carey Mulligan

You know how some movies quite possibly wouldn’t gain a whole lot of traction unless there’s a high level of word-of-mouth that ultimately spreads it like wildfire? Saltburn is potentially one of those movies. It contains enough shock factor to cause even the average movie-goer to go running to their mates to express their surprise (to put it lightly), which then encourages more people to watch and see what all the fuss is about. But, does Saltburn contain more than just outrageous scenes, or should the attention just be taken with a pinch of salt? (I apologise in advance for any further puns relating to salt.)

In 2006, fresher Oliver Quick (Keoghan) has begun his studies at Oxford on a scholarship. During his first year, he somehow becomes friends with the resident popular (and rich and titled) student Felix Catton (Elordi). When Oliver expresses a reluctance to return to his own troubled home during the summer break, Felix offers to put him up at his family’s estate, Saltburn. There, Oliver meets Felix’s a-typical British upper-class parents, Elspeth (Pike) and Sir James (Grant), his sister Venetia (Oliver) and Jacob and Venetia’s American cousin, Farleigh (Madekwe), who also attends Oxford. Through a series of events, Oliver becomes deeply entwined in their lives, pouring salt on many wounds, with not everyone turning out to be who they appear.

I have to say, although Fennell has only one other feature-length film under her belt (2020’s Promising Young Woman, which she wrote and directed and received an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and nominations for Best Director and Best Picture), Saltburn was not the direction I expected her to take next. I was not a huge fan of PYW, and so I didn’t entirely know what to expect from Saltburn. On the other hand, I am a fan of Keoghan’s work, and he is often choosing unconventional roles that get him a lot of critical acclaim. Fennell’s story leans far more toward Keoghan’s style of work, and thus the end product is something that’s reminiscent of the work of writer/directors like Yorgos Lanthimos and Lars von Trier. Fennell was perhaps experimenting with PYW, but with Saltburn, she has really begun to come into her own as a filmmaker. The plot twists in Saltburn, although mostly predictable, are still exciting, and as each one is revealed, there is a satisfaction to having “called it” earlier on. The characters are quite stereotypical, but combined with the very British tongue-in-cheek writing, the black comedy of it all becomes legitimised and leaves audiences feeling disgusted yet entertained.

Saltburn could likely have stood well with its story alone, but to add the proverbial cherry to the cake, the cinematography is excellent, with some thoughtful close-ups, framing and lighting. Not to mention, the costuming denotes a lot about the story and characters if you care to look closely. The sets too, and overall production design, tell more about the mindset of some characters than the dialogue at times. Everything contained in each scene has been woven together to drive the underlining narrative and provides exposition without being too upfront about it. As previously mentioned, the plot is often predictable, meaning the extra hints were probably unnecessary, but it can leave audiences feeling the need to watch it again in order to pick apart particular aspects that might have been missed on initial viewing, and whether or not that’s something Fennell was aiming for, it’s never a bad thing for a writer to hope for in their final cut.

Keoghan has certainly made a name for himself in the film world as someone who breaks the mould and opts for roles that he can really sink his teeth into. His performance as the slightly unhinged Oliver is no different, to the point that it feels unimaginable that anyone else could have taken on the role. The only gripe is perhaps his occasional slipping out of the Merseyside accent and into his native Irish, but it’s a small forgivable thing. The younger Elordi on the other hand is just starting to come into his more adult roles, and with great aplomb, endearing himself to newer, perhaps older, audiences. The role of Felix isn’t hugely substantial, however it’s what the character represents in the story that counts, and Elordi falls into it superbly, conveying everything that’s necessary for us to understand Oliver’s “love” for Felix. Pike and Grant are far more seasoned in playing the absurd and unhinged, and thus perfectly cast as the out-of-touch parents of Felix. Alison Oliver does a stand up job as the mentally unwell Venetia, although at times she appears to be a little out of her depth with the range of Venetia’s emotions. She is still relatively green as an actress however, so there’s plenty of room for growth in her abilities. Madekwe rounds out the main cast as a final cog in the disturbed Catton family machine, his character Farleigh representing the side of many families that shows they’re rarely the perfect picture that they portray.

If it’s something quirky, awkward, dark, enticing yet weirdly humourous that you’re yearning to watch, or if that’s something you’re generally a fan of, Saltburn will scratch that itch. Fennell and her cast and crew navigate the strange depths of human connection and the fine line between love and obsession while utilising that weird British keep-calm-and-carry-on trope no matter the circumstances. I would be surprised if there wasn’t to be another slew of award nominations for Fennell and Saltburn as we approach the main part of the awards season (full final nominations for Academy Awards will be announced on January 23^rd and January 18^th for BAFTA, so keep your eyes peeled for that on Dawn of the Tapes!). Until then, give Saltburn a watch (or two, or three), and try not to lose any sleep over it.