Love it or leave it, Saltburn seems to be one of the most talked-about movies of 2023. I’ve seen it described as anything from psychological horror to thriller to drama, and can’t disagree with any of those categorizations. At the same time, it seems impossible to categorize something like Saltburn.
The first rule of any worthwhile Saltburn review is that you don’t talk about Saltburn. At least not in detail. Set in the early aughts, it opens at Oxford University, where a bookish loser named Oliver befriends Felix, the hunky scion of an aristocratic – and absurdly wealthy – bloodline. Felix invites his new friend to spend a summer at the titular family estate. Hijinks ensue, and it’s impossible to give away more without delving into spoiler territory.
Depraved, gloriously sleazy, and utterly enchanting, Saltburn is a feast for the senses, but I felt that it tries too hard to be shocking and twisty and cool, and that the plot and pace suffer as a result. Not that you notice. The perverse majesty of Saltburn doesn’t let you focus long enough to notice much beyond the stunning visuals and Barry Keoghan’s masterful, disturbing performance. The movie leans into alleged parallels with Brideshead Revisited, with one early scene cheekily referencing Evelyn Waugh outright. The vain and pretentious aristos in Saltburn certainly feel like they could have come straight from Waugh’s acerbic pen. Yet the effort feels strained – much like explaining a joke robs it of its desired effect.
The term “overrated” has been overused so senselessly that it no longer has any real meaning. Is Saltburn overrated? The answer, as usual, depends entirely on your expectations of the film and the preconceptions with which you start it. My sole complaint was the lack of buildup to the Big Twist. The flashback-exposition-dump through which its creators tried to remedy this was jarring, inelegant, and unconvincing. Although Keoghan is so phenomenal the incongruence barely registers. If you liked him in Killing of a Sacred Deer, you’ll love him in Saltburn.
Darker Realities 
Great article. Definitely a divisive film that won’t please everyone. That being said I loved every minute of it. I adore Emerald Fennell. Enjoyed her debut film “Promising Young Woman” as well. Here is why I loved that movie:
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Great article once again. It was really a divisive movie not meant for everyone. That being said, I loved every minute of it. I connected towards its message of class disparity. Here’s why I adored the film:
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Excellent review. I’m left wondering, however – was Oliver really motivated by class disparity? His own family was not as wealthy as the aristocratic Cattons, but they were fairly well-off. Nowhere near the disadvantaged, dysfunctional mess he portrayed them to be. Was it more about his obsession with Felix and a lifestyle he craved to be part of? Or was he a sadistic sociopath? Or a little bit of everything? That’s what I find so intriguing about “Saltburn”, you can interpret it from different angles.
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Thanks for the comment! Yes, there are many different ways to interpret the film which is what makes it so great. I related to the class aspect because it’s as I talk about in my review something I endured in my life. Once again thanks for positive feedback. I appreciate it.
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