Saltburn [2023] – Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Archie Madekwe

Saltburn is a debauched jolt to the senses that will be invigorating for most, and offensive for some. Kudos go to Barry Keoghan, who gives his all as the sneakily manipulative Oliver Quick.

I am actually surprised to say this, but Saltburn is one of my favorite movies of 2023. Emerald Fennell’s newest film is brave. It’s uncomfortable and it’s ready to make you revel in the weirdness. The film owes its lurid magnetism to the grotesque nature of the characters, and the actors who performed them.

We feel the hatred, lust and envy beneath Oliver’s deadpan demeanour, and the superficiality of Felix’s compassion, born from a life of shameless privilege. In fact, the power of Barry Keoghan’s center-ring performance as the twisted Oliver cannot be adequately over-praised. He centers the movie and the plot on his twisted character’s mind.

Even though I was expecting a twist, I couldn’t have predicted the third act of this film. It Keoghan after all, there’s always a twist. He loves his mind games. He is the star of this film, and he damn well knows it… well-acted, diabolical, and decadent, there’s an underlying sense of it being more of a dark fairy tale than anything taken too seriously.

Should You Watch It?

Emerald Fennell’s ‘Saltburn’ examines envy, classism and a murky romance in the shadow of a gothic-tinged mansion. The film embraces that universally cosmic dread of being a revolting human being and builds an extravagant labyrinth of a castle on top of it.

Where Can I Watch It?

You can stream Saltburn exclusively on Prime Video.