Saltburn amazing performance of Barry Keoghan
Fennell's choice of British class drama lends the film a sense of grandeur. Linus Sandgren's lens evokes Baroque darkness and Gainsborough's rococo trappings.
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RicheViews
2/9/20249 min read
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The Views:
Fennell's choice of British class drama lends the film a sense of grandeur.Linus Sandgren's lens evokes Baroque darkness and Gainsborough's rococo trappings, while Fennell's script uses metaphors to create Saltburn's fever dream of reality.
Keoghan's performance as Oliver is sinister and irresistible, and Fennell's performance exposes the sociopathic consequences of obsession. Elordi charms audiences with his crooked grin and shaggy hair, making it the best work of his career. While Rosamund Pike's wit transforms Elspeth into a satire of the idle rich.
The Gothic is defined by excess and the sublime, making it a welcome respite from sterile entertainment. Saltburn is a provocative, violent portrait of repulsion and desire, exploring the ways obsession can transform into something deeply disturbing. It is viscerally compelling and unafraid to luxuriate in its own weirdness. Grade A.
Cast and Characters:
Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick
Keoghan stars as Oliver Quick, a newcomer to the Oxford scene who is instantly taken with elite fellow student, Felix. The actor is coming off of an Oscar nomination and a BAFTA win for his performance in “The Banshees of Inisherin.” Other notable roles include “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,” “Dunkirk,” “The Green Knight,” Marvel’s “Eternals” and a brief appearance as the Joker in “The Batman.”
Jacob Elordi as Felix Catton
“Euphoria” star Jacob Elordi plays aristocratic Oxford heartthrob Felix Catton, the object of Oliver’s affection, in “Saltburn.” The Australian actor is best known for his role as Nate Jacobs on HBO’s juggernaut hit “Euphoria,” as well as starring in Netflix’s YA romance trilogy, “The Kissing Booth.” He’s currently doing double duty in theaters and poised to become a regular during awards season, starring in both “Saltburn” and Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla.”
Alison Oliver as Venetia Catton
If you’re wondering who played Venetia, look no further: Alison Oliver delivers an unforgettable debut feature film performance as Felix’s troubled sister. Oliver is a relative newcomer, who broke out in the 2022 Hulu and BBC Three series, “Conversations with Friends.” In 2023, she also appeared in the BBC One miniseries “Best Interests” and is set to star in the film “The Order” alongside Jude Law and Nicolas Hoult.
Rosamund Pike as Elsbeth Catton
Oscar-nominated British actress Rosamund Pike plays Felix and Venetia’s scene-stealing mother, Elsbeth Catton, who is blessed with all of the film’s best zingers. Pike is best known for her chilling performance as Amazing Amy in David Fincher’s “Gone Girl” and leading as Moiraine Damodred in Amazon’s “Wheel of Time” series. Her previous roles also include “I Care A Lot,” “Hostiles,” “The World’s End” and “Jack Reacher.”
Archie Madekwe as Farleigh
Archie Madekwe plays the Cattons’ American cousin and fellow Oxford student, Farleigh. The actor is having a heck of a 2023. In addition to “Saltburn,” he also appears in “Heart of Stone,” “Gran Tourismo” and “Beau Is Afraid.” He previously worked with Ari Aster on “Midsommar,” and starred in the AppleTV+ series “See.”
Richard E. Grant as Sir James Catton
Oscar-nominated actor Richard E. Grant stars as the Cattons’ daffy patriarch, Sir James. The veteran English actor made his film debut with the iconic performance of Withnail in “Withnail & I,” and since then, his robust resume ranges from “Godsford Park” to “The Little Vampire” to Marvel’s “Loki” series. He earned an Academy Award and BAFTA nomination for his performance in the 2018 drama “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”
Paul Rhys as Duncan
Welsh actor Paul Rhys plays the Cattons’ loyal, meticulous butler, Duncan. Like Elordi, Rhys is also pulling double duty in theaters this winter, appearing in both “Saltburn” and Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon,” in which he plays Talleyrand. Previous roles include “A Discovery of Witches,” “Da Vinci’s Demons,” “Borgia” and “Vincent & Theo.”
Ewan Mitchell as Michael Gavey
Ewan Mitchell appears in “Saltburn” as fellow Oxford outcast, Michael Gavey. The actor is best known for playing Prince Aemond Targaryen on the “Game of Thrones” prequel “House of the Dragon” and has also starred in “High Life” and “The Last Kingdom.”
Carey Mulligan plays “Poor Dear” Pamela, Elspeth’s downtrodden friend who lives with the Catton family at the Saltburn estate, much to the chagrin of everybody.
Mulligan previously worked with Fennell in her debut feature film, Promising Young Woman, where she played the lead role of Cassie, the 30-year-old medical school drop-out whose obsession with victimhood and revenge leads her down a dangerous path. For her work, Mulligan received her second Oscar nomination after 2009’s An Education. Just last year, Mulligan also played Felicia Montealegre, Leonard Bernstein’s loyal but all-knowing wife in Bradley Cooper’s Maestro.
Movie Plot:
The film opens with a young fellow, Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) conversing with somebody offscreen about his relationship with Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi). Oliver expresses that while he adored Felix, he asserts he was not n love with him.
In 2006, Oliver goes to Oxford University under a scholarship, so he doesn’t fit in with the other students who come from riches. He is initially approached by Michael Gavey (Ewan Mitchell), a student who is a little awkward and off-putting. He also gets off to a bad start with Farleigh Start (Archie Madekewe), another student. While getting back to his room, he tracks down Felix with his bicycle subsequent to getting a punctured tire. Oliver offers Felix his bicycle so he can get to his objective, for which Felix is grateful.
Oliver starts to invest more energy with Felix, who has begun to actually appreciate him. Oliver successfully begins to overlook Michael, who lets him know that Felix and his companions will get exhausted of him in the long run. At a certain point, Felix's girlfriend Annabel (Sadie Soverall) connects with Oliver after Felix abandoned plans with her, regardless of her likewise being one who recently peered downward on Oliver for his his supposed poverty. Sure enough, sooner or later, Felix winds up rather put off by Oliver obsessively trying to spend time with him.
Oliver later weeps when he goes to Felix's room and says that he just found out that his father had passed away, probably after a night of drinking. Oliver says he can't return home, as his mom is a a drug addict and he doesn't have a good sense of security in his own home. Felix offers Oliver an opportunity to go along with him at his family's home in Saltburn over the late spring.
After the young men finish their last, most important tests, Oliver joins Felix on the excursion to Saltburn and shows up at their rambling manor. Oliver meets Felix's folks, Sir James (Richard E. Award) and Woman Elspeth (Rosamund Pike), in addition to Felix's sister Venetia (Alison Oliver) and Elspeth's companion Pamela (Carey Mulligan). Elspeth poses Oliver obtrusive inquiries about his family and home life, which humiliates Felix, who has informed his family everything regarding Oliver. Farleigh additionally remains at Saltburn, since he and Felix are cousins.
Oliver starts to spend time with Felix, Venetia, and Farleigh, first by relaxing bare in the field outside the manor. Later in the day, Oliver watches as Felix masturbates in the bathtub, and then later goes to slurp up the remaining bath water when he is gone.
While he develops closeness to Felix, Oliver additionally begins to stick around Elspeth and Venetia. To get Elspeth away from Saltburn, he first suggests to her that Pamela is involved in something shady against her. He finds Venetia by the garden later that night and uses oral sex on her while she is on her period. Farleigh witnesses this and tells Felix about it, who expresses discomfort with Oliver being with his sister that way.
The Cattons then, have a gathering at the mansion. During a series of karaoke, Farleigh insults Oliver by having him go up and sing Pet Shop Boys’ “Rent” to taunt him over how he's fundamentally moved into the Cattons' home. At night, Oliver goes into Farleigh's space to threaten him while creeping over him, while likewise giving him a handjob. In the first part of the day, Farleigh is sent out of Saltburn after it was said that he was attempting to steal from the mansion. Afterward, while Oliver is with Felix and Elspeth, she nonchalantly makes reference that Pamela has died, strongly implied to be because of suicide.
With the late spring almost finished, the Cattons plan a party for Oliver's impending birthday. Felix then shocks Oliver with an excursion to see his mom, which Oliver is by all accounts attempting to stay away from. When the young men show up at the house, Felix is dazed to see that not exclusively is Oliver's mom Paula (Dorothy Atkinson) solid and cordial, yet his dad Jeff (Shaun Dooley) is likewise alive, and the family is genuinely wealthy. Despite Oliver's efforts to defend himself, Felix is officially put off by his lies. Felix advises him to leave Saltburn after the party.
Farleigh arrives at the party and makes fun of Oliver by claiming that Oliver has less of a place at Saltburn than Farleigh does. At the point when the party sings for Oliver, the visitors don't have a clue about his name, leaving him upset. Oliver then, at that point, goes into the family's labyrinth outside the house, where he tracks down Felix. Oliver endeavors to save their kinship, however Felix is finished with him.
Oliver overhears people franticly calling for Felix in the morning. He is discovered dead by the family in the middle of the maze where he and Oliver had been fighting. Fairleigh and Venetia breakdown to the ground with sickening dread. Oliver later plunks down for an awkward lunch with the family, in addition to Farleigh. Farleigh is said to have taken drugs the night before Felix died, which could have been a factor in his death.
After Felix's memorial service, Elspeth requests that Oliver keep remaining at Saltburn. Oliver goes into the washroom while Venetia is washing, and she starts to blame him for going after her family, as he was by all accounts fixated on Felix in spite of knowing him for scarcely a half year. The following day, Venetia is likewise tracked down dead, having cut her wrists in the tub. After her burial service, James demands that Oliver leave Saltburn and even offers to pay him off to leave.
More than 10 years passes, with Oliver long having left Saltburn. He peruses in a paper that James has died. He then, at that point, runs into Elspeth at a café, where she is glad to see him. She extends an invitation to him to return to Saltburn after they meet up.
The film then uncovers that Oliver has been conversing with Elspeth, who is on her deathbed. He then confesses as she lays dying that he was answerable for all that has happened to her loved ones. Oliver penetrated Felix's bicycle tire with an end goal to meet him and enter his life. He harmed Felix in the labyrinth subsequent to giving a bottle he drank from, but Oliver had vomited the poison out. He likewise slipped razor blades next to Venetia to give her the plan to end her life. Oliver had additionally sent an email to get Farleigh taken out from Saltburn, and later managed to get Elspeth to sign over all her assets to Oliver, effectively allowing him to inherit all of Saltburn. Oliver once again talks about how he loved and hated Felix, but was never in love with him. He then kills Elspeth by removing her breathing tube.
Oliver moves into the Cattons' manor and later dance around the house naked to "Murder on the Dancefloor".
Saltburn amazing performance of Barry Keoghan
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