“Saltburn,” starring Jacob Elordi and Barry Keoghan, is a psychological thriller set in Oxford and North Hampshire, England. The film follows university student Oliver Quick and his obsession with fellow student Felix Catton inside and outside school. After formally meeting Felix and quickly becoming an essential part of his life, Oliver gets an invite to Felix’s family estate, “Saltburn,” for the summer, where things quickly take a turn for the worse for Felix and his family.
This movie initially went viral on TikTok and other social media platforms for its shocking and slightly disturbing scenes, such as the most popular “bathtub scene,” however, I think more attention should be paid to the overall storyline and how every scene was perfectly executed for a jaw-dropping ending. This movie is not for the faint of heart, and I understand how people who aren’t usually fans of psychological thrillers could find it hard to watch. Nonetheless, I found the movie very complex and almost similar to the 2019 movie “Midsommar.”
Watching “Saltburn,” I was surprised at how much detail and love seemed to go into each scene. The director, Emerald Fennel, did a fantastic job bringing the story to life through the extreme detail in what the actors wore or how they presented themselves and through set designs.
One character that especially stood out to me was Venetia, played by Alison Oliver. The overall chaos and recklessness of Venetia’s character seemed to mirror the chaos of the “Saltburn” estate and the things that happened there. While Venetia is initially introduced to the audience as shallow and slightly self-centered, actress Alison Oliver does an incredible job at letting the audience see and feel Venetia’s vulnerability as the movie progresses, making Venetia one of the most exciting characters in the film.
Outside of the characters, I think the production did a great job of dressing the actors and showing the characters’ personalities through their clothes. One example was when Oliver and Elspeth (played by Rosamund Pike) were seen talking in one of the “Saltburn” gardens, dressed in extravagant clothing. In the scene, Elspeth can be seen in a long lavender-colored gown, reflecting her need for perfection and order, which is displayed very often throughout the movie, especially when the family experiences a tragedy.
While this movie went viral for its shocking and slightly disturbing scenes, it is worth watching for the storyline and plot twists. While surprised upon first watching, I think watching “Saltburn” another time allowed me to pay attention to the small details set up by the director that helped make the story. If you can look past the awkward scenes, it’s worth watching, especially for psychological thriller fans. To watch the Saltburn trailer click the link below!
