(may contain spoilers)
Douban rating: 6.7
Director: Emerald Fennell
Starring: Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike
Douban Comments: “At first glance, it seemed like ‘The Go-Between’, then it shifted towards ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’, and finally, it turned out to be ‘Parasite’. This convoluted romance story actually has many issues, especially in the latter half, which feels rushed. However, the director’s morbid aesthetics are exceptionally striking. Barry Keoghan’s acting is truly one-of-a-kind among actors born in the ’90s. I can’t think of anyone else who could dance nude and wildly in a castle, exuding an evil yet broken aura…”
“If it were just a revenge story about class conflict, there wouldn’t be a need to make it so wild. Until the ending, I thought it was a reverse version of ‘American Psycho’ set in a manor, but the ending was quite disappointing. The director used postmodern aesthetics in the audiovisual presentation to prop up an empty story. The quick-cut montages and red-blue lighting during the Saltburn period created a great atmosphere. There were many changes in audiovisual details as well (for example, when Felix first showed Oliver around Saltburn, the perspective was narrow and mostly obscured, but when Oliver danced by himself at the end, the view was expansive, and the camera movement was fluid). I particularly enjoyed the middle part of the film where fantasy and reality intersected. The few sex scenes were unexpected and felt hollow. Overall, it’s a film that revels in local culture.”
“The biggest problem with this film is that it ultimately gives off a crude and greasy feeling… other than that, there isn’t much to criticize. The story itself is quite blunt and straightforward. The core logic of Oliver’s character, and the entire film, is to assert power through sex. This monotonous behavioral pattern is fairly predictable, making the latter half of the plot devoid of any real surprises. Due to the entanglement of sex and power, Oliver’s character exhibits clear dominant/submissive (d/s) tendencies. He enjoys playing the weakling, or more accurately, he identifies the psychological weaknesses of his targets and customizes a bait for them, then proceeds to prey on them. He revels in the process of luring and controlling his victims. Barry Keoghan fits this role well; his Oliver is like a brooding snake that enjoys pretending to be an innocent fawn. He embodies animalistic precision.”
“It’s basically Brideshead Revisited (which, according to Felix, is based on something written by his family) mixed with The Talented Mr. Ripley and Parasite. But it’s obvious that the parts inspired by Brideshead Revisited and The Talented Mr. Ripley are handled smoothly and stand out, while the Parasite-style bits feel a bit awkward and even silly – maybe it just doesn’t quite fit the setting?
You can really see a lot of The Talented Mr. Ripley references – like the bathtub, the main character dancing in front of the mirror, secretly wearing someone else’s robe and using their aftershave. Felix comes across as a sentimental softie… He actually feels like a mix between Dickie and Peter Smith-Kingsley.”
