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It seems that every year, a well-liked film inevitably fails to justify in my eyes its critical acclaim. Barring any dark horse contenders, Saltburn appears to be this year’s victor. To be sure, Emerald Fennell is a competent director - her latest film is technically well-made with visually rich mise-en-scène and compelling camerawork. But after all of the strange narrative machinations, which seek to build mystery and intrigue yet fall short in doing so, the resulting experience doesn’t add up to much. Fennell is unable to thread the needle, breaching the line between genius and pretension. Thematically vapid, the film is a deceptively complex exploration of wealth and desire. There are some interesting ideas to explore here, namely with the film’s protagonist Oliver, played wonderfully by Barry Keoghan despite uneven material. Oliver represents the insatiable demands of capitalism, striving toward infinite growth; he is already upper-class yet feels inferior to the exorbitant wealth of his classmates. There’s intriguing commentary there, but Fennell appears preoccupied with the sensual rather than the philosophical. This is a shame, as the film’s status as a period piece of the mid-2000s could have enhanced and deepened such sociopolitical explorations. Fennell is clearly a talent, but this film just goes to show how impressive technical skill can be limited by poor scripting.

Saltburn (Emerald Fennell, 2023).

Review originally published on November 29th, 2023.

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