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Barry Keoghan. © 2023 Amazon MGM Studios, MRC, LuckyChap Entertainment, and Lie Still. Directed by Emerald Fennell.
Watched it at 59th The Chicago International Film Festival @ Music Box (CIFF #2)
Q&A Section Included We're All About to Lose Our Minds After the amazing crazy film from Emerald Fennell's directorial debut, she amps up the eroticism and insanity of her characters which leads to unexpected turns. That is what best defined for Fennell's sophomore feature Saltburn. It takes approaches that are risky yet rewarding through the protagonist and the characters surrounding him. Not a lot of people will approach and take away from this film in a positive light but it sure does serve a pack a punch throughout its daring sequences. Let's go to Saltburn and see the wonderfulness of this unique broken estate. Story: A student at Oxford University finds himself drawn into the world of a charming and aristocratic classmate, who invites him to his eccentric family's sprawling estate for a summer never to be forgotten. The sensation of this film is all over the place but in a good way. Fennell's unique screenplay really delves into the psychological mind of Oliver (Barry Keoghan) and his insane love for Felix (Jacob Elordi). His character arc starts slow but as the film progresses, the flow of the energy doesn't stop. The relationship between Oliver and Felix is very well written. There is nuance through Oliver's point of view of the palace and his feelings towards Felix's family. It touches on each one of them through Oliver's point of view and it's well-balanced to see how he feels about the family. The structure here in the film is similar to her past film but a bit longer which does add depth to Oliver but also adds tension to each character's dilemma. Alongside her unique script, Fennell's directing here is amazing. There are unique moments in the film that give an artsy vibe while giving a thriller or horror vibe. Her creative decisions here could be polarizing because there are scenes in the film that will leave you a bit traumatized or disgusted. However, it lets you get inside the mind of the character in those scenes which opens the vulnerability of that character. It's clever writing and direction with the support of the amazing performances from each actor. Barry Keoghan is great in the film. He gets to play a unique character who is seeking love and something more erotic. His performance is wild in the second half but he really encaptivates the character and it's a wild ride from start to finish. Jacob Elordi is also surprisingly great. After only seeing him in Euphoria (thank god I didn't watch The Kissing Both), I was hoping he would play a character that would not only fit his personality but play a character that allow a bit of character freedom. What I can report back is that this is his best performance since Euphoria. His character and performance are charming in a way that could be very jocky. Yet, his chemistry with Keoghan's character is very daunting and intimate. The supporting cast here all around are great. The biggest standouts would be Rosamund Pike and Richard E. Grant. They elevate the drama and comedy in the film. Plus, their chemistry with each other characters is unnatural yet good. As I mentioned in my last paragraph, the screenplay alongside its story is well written. There are interesting unique twist and turns that elevates the plot and the climax. The plot lets you be with the characters in the good and weird moments while the eroticism and beauty start to take over the story. You can even look at this film's story as a chaotic party family drama but really, it's a vampire story. Without spoilers, during a Q&A panel with Fennell, she said "We just knew exactly the kind of gothic, sort of, sexy. kind of, erotic thing, we wanted to make. And I think with Suzie Davies, the production designer, and with everyone else too, I think the thing is if we are making something this kind of, I suppose, knowingly aesthetic, that kind of took place on sort of beautyism and literature, your sort of acknowledging things but also making your own thing." (Taken from a Post Q&A during the Chicago International Film Festival 2023).
With the aesthetics and gothic storytelling that inspired this original story, Fennell wants audiences to be clear that when Keoghan's character journey begins at the estate, it's going to be erotic, chilling, and jolting. See the film for yourself and you will come out with many reactions all at once. Even with its psychological story, Fennell made sure the technical side of the film hits the spot to bring this story to life.
Fennell went all in with the cinematography, production design, and even editing of this film. I really dig the academy aspect ratio which allows the beauty of the production design done by Davies to be shown in its full glory. Plus, Linus Sandgren's camera work here is beautiful and colorful as well. I really love the mixture of orange, red, and blue colors including the close-ups in this film. The estate is pretty enormous and the way they shot it is very smooth. Plus, there are interesting framing choices that allow the audience to delve into a certain character. The editing here is also great with its smooth pacing and the score feels so romantic yet daunting and un-natural. The costume designs here are underrated, especially during the big party scene. Overall, it's a very well-made technical film that helps bring the story to its full potential. However, there are flaws behind this magnificent estate of a film. The film can be a bit of a mess with its plot. There is a lot to take in and while it keeps you entertained, it can be a bit too much all at once. There were moments when I had no idea what was going on yet, but I was still entertained. Again, there are interesting directing choices that people will be divisive on but I thought they were darkly smart. However, the film tries to juggle some ideas or plot strings that need to match the overall story or even the intentions of the protagonist. The biggest scene that people will love or hate will be the ending. For me, I thought it was a solid ending but it left me questioning about the state of the protagonist and the world around him. Even with those small flaws, I was still thrilled by the film's nature of its story and characters. Beyond the beautiful darkly estate full of emotions and desires, this is Fennell's most unapologetic sexy, and daring film that she has made. Filled with great performances from Barry Keoghan and Rosamund Pike, alongside its unique screenplay and story, it's a film that dares to tackle unique subjects and themes that ultimately surround desires and temptation. While this film will slip under the radar during awards season, it is sure a film that doesn't hold back on anything it is showing. Especially that grave scene...yeah, I drank bleach right after that.
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Vizeit Score: "A-"
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Copyright © 2023 Vizeit Reviews. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Editor In-Chief/Owner of Vizeit Reviews | (Chicago Indie Critics Member [CIC])
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