Review: Saltburn

Official Synopsis: Oliver, a student at Oxford University (Barry Keoghan) finds himself drawn into the world of a charming and aristocratic classmate, Felix (Jacob Elordi), who invites him to his eccentric family's sprawling estate for a summer never to be forgotten.

Emerald Fennell's follow up to Promising Young Woman is probably one of the most anticipated in the online film community. I had issues with how that film ended, but it was clear Fennell has a great eye for directing. It's no different in Saltburn, I felt like a spectator in the fucked up Olympics.

You just can't shake the creep off of Barry Keoghan or Jacob Elordi and that's what makes both characters so compelling. The film starts off very by the books then takes a sharp right turn into the macabre. I cringed, I gasped, I laughed. It's just a lot.

It doesn't say as much about the class divide as it thinks it does, and there is some very questionable dialogue, but Saltburn is so batshit crazy that it just worked for me. It's a true escape, vs a stark reminder of a sad reality that her last film was. It helps when you have a talent like Rosamund Pike absolutely feasting on every scene. 

I leave you with an Eminem lyric that came to mind after watching. "He's got the urge to pull his dick from the dirt, and fuck the whole universe."

Grade: B