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Emerald Fennell delivers a sexy, pop confection that is a fearless, twisted ride back to 2006. Saltburn is Rebecca meets Jennifer’s Body in a demented, horny examination of social hierarchy and obsession. 

Violence, sex, and debauchery are all center screen throughout Emerald Fennell’s sophomore feature. Saltburn is the dark comedy voyeuristic thriller that requires a specific sense of humor from its audience that pays off in spades. Fennell’s eye for cinematic flair continues with audacious sets, impeccable period accurate costume design, and a killer soundtrack transporting audiences back to 2006. The 1:33 aspect ratio keeps audiences fixated and unable to look away from the most primal, demented desires explored throughout the film. Fennell really meant it when it was uttered one doesn’t just leave Saltburn. 

With her debut film, Promising Young Woman, Fennell told a story with a bubblegum pink candy coating but inside a lethal poison and Saltburn follows that same narrative structure. The influence of The Talented Mr. Ripley is undeniable as the film starts with a blaring score and choral singers as Oliver (Barry Keoghan) enters through the gates of Oxford. Oliver is immediately painted as an outsider with his jacket and tie as he hides inside and watches the cool kids through a window. We hear an older Oliver discussing his obsession, Felix (Jacob Elrodi), in the future. As Oliver’s voiceover discusses whether or not he was in love with a beautiful boy, a dreamy montage of Felix washes over the screen. He’s shown as an effortless cool guy; he feels both unattainable and real at the same time. 

With Oliver completely entranced with Felix from the first time he spots him through his dorm window, Saltburn begins its perverse, psychosexual tale between them. One fateful afternoon, Oliver finds Felix stranded on the side of a bike path as he has a flat tire and is going to be late to a meeting with his professor. Oliver, without hesitation, offers his own bike to assist the tall, beautiful boy he had been eyeing. Felix is genuinely grateful for Oliver’s loan. The immediate longing in Oliver’s eyes show the hold Felix easily has on him. With a kiss on the cheek, there is an entryway into exploration of implied queerness between Felix and Oliver. 

Later that evening, Felix spots Oliver at the local pub and invites him to join his snotty, beautiful friends as he recounts the tale of how Oliver saved him. Both the audience and Felix’s cousin Farleigh (Archie Madekwe) are able to see Oliver isn’t developing a friendship with Felix; it’s a perverse fixation. There’s an uneasiness to the way Oliver looks at Felix that isn’t lust or admiration, it’s something more sinister. The relationship between Oliver and Felix deepens and Fennell and editor Victoria Boydell blend their quick bonding over a grainy montage between night clubs, pub crawls, library sessions within Oxford, and cozying up on couches at dorm parties. Cinematographer Linus Sandgren captures these bonding experiences in such an intimate light that even though you know Oliver’s infatuation has more ominous undertones to it, you can’t help but relate to the blossoming friendship between the pair. 

Early in Saltburn before we even get to the titular estate, there’s a moment where Felix feels suffocated by Oliver’s constant affection. Elordi perfectly displays to the audience who Felix is without the crowd of his friends; he isn’t a mean guy, he feels bad after snapping at Oliver’s almost nagging behavior, he just isn’t used to someone like Oliver as his other friends have never cared for Felix the same way. As we watch Oliver and Felix become closer, Fennell shoots Felix in such close ups that feel so affectionate and intimate, it’s not just his face, it’s his neck, his ears, his shoulders, and his smile. The graininess and lighting create such an intimate visual it feels as a memory of true love; you can’t help but wonder if Oliver’s own voiceover is wrong… is Oliver in love with Felix? At one point, Felix is hooking up with a girl and we see Oliver watching from in the bushes outside his window. Fennell operates Saltburn almost as if the entire film is a peep hole to watch Oliver and eventually his family. No matter how innocent or posh something appears in the film, there’s always an uneasiness looming even if you can’t put your finger on it. 

Following a shocking loss for Oliver, Felix invites him back to his family’s home for the summer. Once at Saltburn, the Catton’s aristocratic estate, Oliver first meets Duncan (Paul Rhys), the head butler of the estate. Despite having recently been given a Rebecca remake, Duncan is the Mrs. Danvers of the 21^stcentury. Rhys makes Duncan not just the rule enforcer of Saltburn, but he is Saltburn. He lives, breathes, and most importantly, knows everything that goes on in the house. The Gothic, British humor is almost overwhelming with Duncan’s introduction as he’s distant and dry. However, Duncan’s dry stance is given a break as Felix gives Oliver a loose tour that feels as if he’s disconnected from his family’s prodigious wealth. Felix is as relaxed as his jeans and makes jokes about his Granny’s ghost, Henry VIII’s spunk, and the blue room because it’s blue as he guides Oliver around the massive mansion; it’s just his home, not a sprawling estate. 

The other residents of the estate for the summer include Farleigh, Felix’s parents, Sir James Catton (Richard E. Grant) and his mother Elspeth (Rosamund Pike), their daughter Venetia (Alison Oliver), and Pamela, the peculiar visitor who has clearly overstayed her welcome (Carey Mulligan). The summer at the estate is easy and feels like an early aughts Juicy Couture commercial at times. There are tennis games in black tie with Dom Pérignon straight from the bottle, sunbathing at one of the many pools on the grounds, and frolicking naked in a field. All throughout the summer, there remains a sense of unease, something sinister beneath the glitz of the Catton lifestyle at Saltburn. Without notice, Pamela was sent on her way after clearly losing favor of Elsbeth and Sir James. This feels as a warning to both Oliver and Farleigh, who are outsiders both vying for the couple’s approval. Farleigh, as a family member who has always been kept at arm’s length, fights to keep what he thinks is rightful place over Oliver. 

As the summer unfolds in Saltburn, Oliver’s inhibitions shed and his persona changes; whether he becomes who he always was or someone new is up to the audience to decide. Oliver seduces both Farleigh and Venetia in order to gain the upper hand in the house. Just when you think you know what will come next, Fennell shocks, with quite audacious confidence, to provide a new take on a story we’ve seen before. While the The Talented Mr. Ripley influence is strong, there’s a mixture of Dangerous Liasions, The Philadelphia Story, and Cruel Intentions that both modernizes the storytelling but also cements it as a classic take on class stratification exploration. Perhaps my favorite influence on the storytelling is the candy coated outside yet sinister rotting on the inside and friendship dynamic similar to Jennifer’s Body. Oliver’s longing for Felix is akin to Needy’s yearning for Jennifer. The pop soundtrack with black nail polish within Saltburn easily parallels the early aughts portrayed in the Karyn Kusama classic. 

Saltburn is a true showcase for every actor on deck. Pike has always had comedic timing, but she’s never been given such sharp material as she’s given in Saltburn. She’s kind, but patronizing while listening to her guests, children, and husband. Grant feels both delicious and daunting; his best performance since Can You Ever Forgive Me? Fennell truly utilizes Grant as a comfort to see a Spice World alum so you feel he’s not the intimidating man behind the title, but with a glint in his eye, he can easily be the menacing head of the household. Oliver is a powerhouse and brings a sense of chilling reality within all the madness. Elordi is perfect as Felix; he embodies everything the character should have. He feels implausible to be close to yet feels like you could just be his friend. It’s easy to not see the layers Elordi brings to Felix because he so effortlessly becomes him. Keoghan is absolutely fearless as Oliver. His evolution as Oliver unfolds on screen is breathtakingly disturbing yet you can’t take your eyes off of him. Despite being fresh off an Oscar nomination, this is Keoghan’s best performance to date. 

A true period piece brings you back to the world it’s operating in and Saltburn transports the audience back to 2006 undoubtedly. From the double polos with popped collars to the bad spray tans, there’s no confusion of what year is it. The Killers on repeat for a singalong in the car, a ‘Dump Him’ Britney tee reference, and double feature of The Ring and Superbad feel all too real. Films set in the early aughts always are attributed as nostalgia pieces, but in Saltburn that isn’t the case at all. Fennell uses the time period to tell the story so future Oliver can have enough space to say this was a truly altering time in his life. While there’s fun in the pop culture references, Saltburn isn’t banking on nostalgia as a storytelling device. 

With stunning sets, brilliant costume design, and incredible performances, Fennell delivers a sexy, pop confection that is a fearless, twisted ride back to 2006. Desire, repulsion, excess, and violence all take center stage as the film becomes an exploration of how obsession can become something much more sinister. Saltburn is Rebecca meets Jennifer’s Body in a demented, horny examination of social hierarchy and obsession.

Grade: A+

Oscars Prospects:
Likely: Best Cinematography, Best Production Design
Should be Considered: Best Picture, Best Actor (Barry Keoghan), Best Supporting Actress (Rosamund Pike), Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Costume Design, Best Sound

Release Date: November 17, 2023
Where to Watch: In Theaters