Saltburn - LFF ‘23 Opening Night Gala
Emerald Fennell’s second feature Saltburn has Barry Keoghan leading an incredible ensemble in a mesmerising tale of privilege, status and desire. Keoghan plays Oliver Quick who finds himself drawn into the world of aristocrat Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi) while struggling to find himself at Oxford University. When summer comes, Felix invites Oliver to Saltburn, his family’s intriguing estate for a time that will never be forgotten.
With immense luck I walked into the opening night gala showing of Saltburn without knowing what to expect and I also saw it during its second showing on Thursday 5th October. On my first showing, my favourite part of the 131-minute runtime would have to be the audience’s reactions throughout the film. It is always a type of comfort when you’re in the environment in the cinema of a film premiere with other lovers of film.
Set in the early noughties with a proper soundtrack to accompany it, Emerald Fennell brings a riveting psychological thriller/drama/comedy to the screen. When the film first starts, you’d expect to know where it is headed with a typical story of a student who doesn’t fit in and appears to be smarter than most of his peers. To spoil the least, Fennell leads us on a journey through Oliver’s summer of excitement and obsession. While struggling throughout the year, Oliver finds himself obsessing over Felix and finding a way of becoming friends with him. It can’t be certain why, but Felix welcomes Oliver into his life and eventually invites him out to his family’s estate of Saltburn for what will come to be an unforgettable summer.
Perhaps my favourite part of the film, besides the gorgeous cinematography, is the superb acting by all cast members. As always, Barry Keoghan plays his creepy/weird character to perfection and the banter back-and-forth he has with Jacob Elordi works well with their characters. Keoghan in his first leading role stuns and Rosamund Pike sparkles with another stand-out performance. One liners and stupendous emotions are shown by the cast, and they bring the characters to life. With a cast like this, you wouldn’t expect anything less and are even surprised!
Enthralled from the first shot, the film has the most stupendous, properly situated camera angles, all eyeing to the feel of the film. Even though the acting is the most important aspect of this film in particular, the cinematography adds to the psychological thriller mood of the film and helps add mystery to specific moments. Every shot is specifically crafted to help develop the story. Emerald and cinematographer Linus Sandgren use such precision that no shot, or angle, was unplanned and everything was filmed in that way for a specific reason.
Emerald Fennell out does herself with Saltburn, a perfect choice for the opening night gala of the London Film Festival. Saltburn hits UK cinemas 17th November 2023, and when you have the opportunity to see this masterpiece, see it on the biggest screen you can.
Promotional Photo Credits to IMDb.
