One of the most interesting things to me about this movie's reception is that apparently UK audiences have tended to view it more as a satire and US audiences have tended to take it at face value. With that particular socioeconomic class so deeply embedded in the UK's cultural past and present, it must hit really differently and more specifically. I'm so curious to know how people from other places viewed it, and what kinds of socioeconomic relationships they have personally and culturally.
@@hockeygrrlmuseUK here and I agree. For me it’s a wild ride, dealing with that north/south divide we’re all familiar with (even if Barry’s “scouce” accent was Irish most of the time 😂)
Felix really felt like the male "manic pixie dream girl" to me. We see glimpses of him, but we never really know him. It's a really smart retelling of how that obsessions makes someone impossible to really know, and also is a direct threat to their wellbeing
I think my favorite part is the way they used the “dead wife in the beginning of the movie” shot style when showing Felix. It subverted what it is usually used for it and I loved that.
This is so true, the slow motion shots, wind in his "unruly" hair, mona lisa smiles at the camera - immediately gives you the notion, oh damn he's not exactly alive is he
Also immediately establishes the female gaze that the movie is shot from. The fact that the scene makes such an impression shows how conditioned we are to the male gaze.
Omg the ending with him being served runny eggs by the butler ( the only character that saw him for what he was) after his “ victory “ dance would have been amazing
No I would've hated that because why would he keep employing Duncan(the butler)? That's stupid, he could just hire new staff. Especially because they don't seem to like each other at all. I really prefer the ending we got. He's won, yes, but also he's all alone
@@Vincentvondoom I mean it's not like the family were worth rooting for that hard. The only truly tragic character was Venetia. And maybe Felix, but even he was kind of a well-meaning brat.
hot take maybe?? but i think saltburn has what dear evan hansen wanted (or at least what it could’ve been) - fucked up story of a kid lying to and profiting off of a rich family, except saltburn actually sticks to it instead of chickening out and justifying everything
DEH doesn't work because they did chicken out and tried to make him sympathetic, which can work to a point here by making Oliver relatable in his greed but mostly because the people he plays are entitled disconnected pricks, whereas DEH does it to a grieving "normal" family. They might be rich but not old money billionaires, and they were loving between themselves, which is why it was so easy for the lead to exploit them, and why it backfires so badly on the audience when the movie tries to excuse and redeem him. Oliver exploits people who are completely self absorbed and only "care" for each other for appearance's sake. Because the victims are so unlikable they could've tried to give Oliver more of an antihero Joker movie vibe where we sympathize with him even tho he is criminally unhinged. It would have made more sense here to go for sympathy than in DEH, even if objectively the crimes are way milder in DEH. But I'm glad it doesn't and is unapologetic towards Oliver, he himself as narrator, apart from the constant humiliation he suffers, makes it clear everything he did was because he wanted to (he even brags about it all being his masterplan when it is clear he went with the flow taking advantage as he went on). Another fascinating thing about the movie is that unlike DEH and other media where the lead makes a wrong choice and then becomes entangled in a web of lies because of it, escalating out of control without a way to step out, here Oliver could have quit at any moment with no personal loss. He was free to leave and it's his choice to keep escalating. There's a lot of media where one initial bad decision escalates and the audience experiences the trainwreck feeling while watching it. Here the train keeps going because Oliver is in the driver's seat. He doesn't control the route, but he makes sure to step on the pedal to speed up and cause maximum damage at every chance, when he could just as easily stop the train and get out.
Everyone was all ‘bathtub scene this period scene that’ but watching the mom get that tube ripped out of her throat was 10x worse than either of those moments for me
Dude the grave scene was the only scene that rly shook me. His love for Felix was so twisted and disgusting. He wasn't even sad that he died he was horny. I'm so fucked up for this but I found the bathtub and vampire scenes hot 😭😭😭😭😭
FINALLY someone who echoes my sentiments and interpretations of the movie!!! especially pointing out that we begin the movie with beautiful shots of felix and not saltburn. people complained about how emerald fennell did not include enough sweeping shots of the house or that the aspect ratio doesn't allow us to see the whole castle as though she didn't understand her own movie when THEY'VE got the wrong idea. there are sweeping shots of felix and the aspect ratio disallows us from looking at anything but felix when he's in the frame. felix is what he always wanted, saltburn is what he settled on when he couldn't have him
I'm surprised people didn't like this movie more, I loved it so much, so many incredible shots and scenes and performances. Saw it last night and keep thinking and talking about it. Best movie I've watched since parasite and we watch a lot of movies
In a way I feel like owning Saltburn is like "owning" Felix in a way. If his body was buried on the grounds, then he kinda does own him in a creepy way, but if it's not it's kinda like owning the memory of him.
also taking his place, coming as close to being him as he could ever hope to get. I believe oli’s opening monologue hints to this envy; did he love him or was he in love with him, as another way of saying “do I want him or want to be him”; for someone like oliver, I don’t think envy and love are easily distinguishable
Farleigh is actually lucky that he got banned from Saltburn, or he might have been the next murder victim. Also, Barry Keoghan definitely deserves an Oscar Nomination for his chilling performance.
He blew my mind in The Banshees of Inisherin. Such a spectacular main cast and he still managed to absolutely shine and steal every scene he was in. His portrayal of Dominic shattered my heart.
The problem with that is he is a blood relative. Wills are not inviolable and Farleigh absolutey would have taken it to probate and won. Elspeth is a dowager. She clearly was struggling mentally. It is not not normal to name a guy your dead son knew for a few months 16 years ago sole heir. Duncan who sat through all of this absolutley would have backed Farleigh up. Not to mention this would draw police attention to Oliver along with a dozen other things like India seeing Felix and Oliver arguing at the place and time of Felix's sudden death.
I also really liked how they involved vomit when there was some foul play from Oliver's side. When he got the call from his mom it was a shot of the sink with vomit, then the rock for his dad landed in vomit. Then he went off to throw up in the maze with Felix which was an indication that he was up to something and it showed that he is behind his death, even before the reveal at the end.
I don’t understand why no one else is talking about this! I noticed the same thing. But also, Venetia is a bulemic, Oliver puts his fingers into her mouth and she puts hers in his too later in her tub scene. Oliver also mentions that he was made to put his fingers down his mother’s throat and Elspeth gestures fingers in her throat to tell Oliver about Venetias bulemia . So, I think the vomit theme runs deep. Then you add in the blood and semen and well…
I think folks mistake Oliver's plotting. He didn't have this 15 year plot, just get an intro into this world. It's obvious how Felix suddenly visiting his home and uncovering Oliver's lies was an unexpected move so killing Felix the only option. Later he hit in the whole inheritance bit but that wasn't his initial goal until he realized the opportunity with this screwed up family.
Agree. I thought his initial plan was to worm his way into Felixe's life and, once he met them, his family. After he's found out, it's on to plan B aka kill them all
See that is what bothered me too. The way they had him dancing around at the end made it seem like he was suppose to be some master manipulator but he couldn't dissuade Felix from taking him home? How did it take him so long to figure out where they were going and have some way of convincing Felix that it was dangerous, etc. If they had kept the egg ending it would have made the rest so much clearer.
Yes thank you!! I don't think he knew who Felix was or wanted to get saltburn to himself the whole time that just became his plan later. He only killed Felix after he was rejected and felt he had no way to win him back over
Exactly!! They wanted it to be an 'eat-the-rich' film, about him taking down old money from the inside, and seeing people critique it from that standpoint is so frustrating. i saw a tumblr post being like 'saltburn isn't doing what it thinks it is' which missed the point entirely because it viewed it from the eat the rich perspective. Saltburn is meant to show a little freak boy be a little freak and thats what we got
@@xxxmaysilssss690I don’t think they’re being obtuse, just a little joking in their delivery The larger point is that an “eat the rich” class critique wasn’t really the main point of the film
I coped much better with most of the “shocking” moments than I did with the awkward meals and social stuff. That stuff reminded me of all the unwritten rules of dealing with my (admittedly middle class) British family.
The Doppelganger, 'we turn into monsters' threat, and the Vampire scene adds a layer of impending horror and keeps you guessing where the film is going.
the way Oliver looks at him with those puppy eyes full of desire and you can see he wants to kiss Felix so bad despite him hating his guts because he's a psycopath omg it HURT to watch, I don't know why so many people missed the point about obsession
Watched this one with my partner, we were both left initially a little confused about the turn from Felix to Saltburn. Something I picked up only through a first watch, so don't quote me on it, but the rocks really left me floored. Oliver's dad's rock didn't sink because he wasn't really dead. Oliver fishing back for the rocks (in my head he did it as soon as he had the chance to after each of the deaths since I'm pretty sure we don't see a shot of the rocks together underwater) as a way to keep his obsession and not allow them to rest in peace.
Weirdly enough, for the depths of perversity and depravity Saltburn puts us through, I found it so compelling to watch Ollie’s next move. Whereas in The Menu, I could barely remain in my seat I was so damn uncomfortable. Like, I needed to pause countless times in was so panic attack inducing and for what lol
Felix drove Oliver from Cornwall to Preston without him asking where they were going till they were almost there. That's like a 5 and a half hour drive
It can't be in cornwall. But even if it's just in one of the home countries, it's still hours worth of driving in a roofless jeep in England. Felix is a brave one.
The musical choices were also just excellent! The pub playing "Destroy everything you touch" whilst Olly is staring longingly, the birthday music blaring "Loneliness"!
The thing that no one seems to be talking about - which you touch on a little here - is the servants. You mention Duncan, and him knowing everything, but the thing that keeps going around my head is they ALL must have known. He had to leave in the early morning, the servants are all standing outside watching. Mirrors and reflections and hidden watchers - is it that they stayed silent because they thought the Cattons deserved what happened? Not a fully formed thought from me, but as I say it had been going around in my brain.
I agree, the way they look at him and watch him changes throughout the film and by the time he leaves, some are looking at him passively, others with slight wariness and disgust, but 1 guy waves happily (I almost thought it was farleigh at first) as if glad this creepy dude is finally gone and rubbing it it. The main butler giving one final look at homegirls funeral at th end before his dance scene made me kinda disappointed that he didn't come up and stab him in the end after his dance scene and grab the rocks to properly lay the family to rest as Olver gasps and bleedes out while he walks away closing the blinds ro leave him alone in a final humiliation.
It's bittersweet that this film is getting so much attention now, as its theatrical run dries up. Happy that people are finding it but also sad it didn't make that much at the box office.
Amazon bought the rights so we're lucky it even hit theatres, their interest was always driving streaming traffic and the release for it digitally went insanely well for them - I think this was the best case scenario, decent theatrical run to build the buzz, then making it available for anyone with Prime
Anytime I saw the trailers, they didn't make any sense. I had no idea what it was about so I wasn't interested in it. They should've done better at advertising it
My favourite smaller things are the flash of a doppleganger during the breakfast scene, the red of the party and last family dinner & the cut to a wide shot when the mother talks about "Common People" framing such a grand beautiful historic house full of history and knowledge. Not sure I adore it but this movie will stay with me forever
For me the reason saltburn was so freaky and scary was the fact that I DEEPLY related to oliver in the beginning. The slightly nerdy, most definitely unpopular kid finally has a new chance to make friends by going off to university (though admittedly i dont go to oxford). At the beginning of uni, not really making any friends, kinda lonely and not feeling too great. To the end of the uni year finally having friends, including a fairly rich, but not nearly as much as felix kinda rich, one. Finally being in a slightly higher social standing in terms of friends. being invited back to a home that is enormous compared to yours for break. and then. the person that you so deeply deeply related to turns out to be a freaky weirdo who does awful, uncomfortable things. It freaked me out!
I felt like you were absolutely supposed to feel for him and see him as the hero. Even if you don’t identify with him, I think we all empathized with that cafeteria scene, or the one where he overheard one girl talking sht about him. I actually felt the worst when he was stuck with that one “friend”, because I’ve been there. For me, the biggest twist was when he watched Felix have sex. That’s when we saw the sinister underbelly and realize he’s not this awkward, innocent hero who just needs a chance. He’s the creepy man who latches on at the first display of kindness. It shifts the whole tone, but feels hard to reconcile when you still want to root for him. Especially when you’re not given anyone else to root for.
@@EmyN definitely picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde which is about morally gray character obsessed with youth. Now for stories about obsessive love and desire specifically, Jennifer’s body and Yellowjackets reminded me a lot of Oliver’s all consuming desire for Felix. There’s also boys of Alabama by Genevieve Hudson which is a southern gothic book which reminded me of Oliver’s desire for saltburn because the main character is an outsider wanting to fit in.
@@amolove24 Oh I know all of these 😂 and love them all, I don’t know Alabama though, reminds me of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, will check it out. I know it was not asked but Neon Demon could be your vibe! It’s a slow burn critic of the model industry with Elle Fanning and Keanu Reeves, tackling, of course, obsession, in this case with beauty, it’s also visually gorgeous. But do you have any more recs?
@@EmyN omg I actually have seen neon demon!! The critics it had on the modeling were so interesting I wish there were more movies about it. Another book I would recommend is if we were villains. Again it has obsessive characters and it’s dark academia about student actors studying Shakespeare in an elite arts college. It’s pretty popular online so idk if you’ve heard of it or not but I absolutely loved it. (Also if you have any other recs please lmk!!)
@@amolove24 Oh it’s on my reading list! Now I’m more excited to read it! Girl we know or heard of everything the other knows 😂 let’s see… you likely saw Black Swan and Whiplash (the boy version of Black Swan if you will lol), but how about The Voyeurs with Sydney Sweeney? I heard people didn’t like it but me and my friend did! It’s a suspense/drama where a young couple (Sydney and her partner) move in to an apartment facing another completely exposed to the outside world, and let’s just say they start to get curious about the life of the young couple living there, hence the name “voyeurs” lol, it’s kinda of a “sexy” movie with the lighting, mood and attractive cast, just like Saltburn! There is also Sightless, it’s not as good but I did have a good time watching it, it’s another suspense where our protagonist (Madelaine Petsch) loses her sight in an acid attack, and as she readjusts to her new life she starts to suspect her attacker is after her again, could have been more polished but it had very interesting concepts and I think is a fun watch! The Voyeurs it’s on Amazon Prime and Sightless it’s on HBO, although it’s available on Amazon Prime for rent, this is all the current status in my country though, could be different for you
I always saw Oliver as a unreliable narrator, he summed every up as a grand scheme but I felt he was always going with the flow and doing smaller things as he learned more details or as situations presented themselves.
I definitely see this in his first one-on-one conversation with Elsbeth. The hitting on her but then shifting his attention toward Pamela. At first, I saw it as him becoming more like the Cattons and treating people like objects, but by the end I saw it as him finding his place in the family. They weren’t necessarily affecting him, he was just learning how to interact with them in order to get what he wanted.
But I don’t think it was a planned out thing, he just felt the situation out and acted accordingly. I don’t even know if he knew what he wanted in the end.
I agree. It seemed, at the beginning, that he was just desperately trying to win Felix over, find a stable place at his side by winning over the family; but then he realized how precarious his place at his side really is. Once he saw that, he did everything he could to find a benefactor, someone to keep him in this world so that he can be with Felix, even if it is just tangentially so. When no one can give them that because of the sting of humiliation at Felix's side, he turns his wrath on them, hating them, and I think to some extent Felix, for only giving him the crumbs off their table, not necessarily in terms of the wealth and privilege, but in terms of the enduring acceptance, attention, and affection.
Im also very torn on his feelings for felix the whole grave scene has me thinking he had feeling for him, but I can't decide if they were romantic or if he became obsessed with just him.
As much as I was drooling over Jacob Elordi and Barry Keoghan, I liked the ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (2005) with Rosamund Pike and Carey Mulligan coming together.
I've been hearing so much about Saltburn non-stop, I was *not* expecting "Dear Evan Hansen, but it's a prestige (intentional) drama / thriller." This one I'm actually going to have to watch, it looks right up my alley, thank you!
As someone who grew up workingclass in the homecounties, i have ended up being a pet to people like this more than once, much to my own shame. I feel like this perfectly encapsulates the battle between middle clas and landed gentry. The way that middle class weaponise their perceived struggle (normally from nothing more than just a northern accent) and the totaly discontect from reality from the generationally wealthy. Oliver talkong about how the rich dont need to work but he does is such a good example of the middle class/new money delution that they worked for what they have so its not really wealth hording.
I kept thinking of all the hair & grime that must be stuck in that drain, everyone in the theater was gagging, me included. Saltburn was disgusting & glorious, easily my favorite film of 2023.
I was doing research for a narrative non fiction story I had to write for a creative writing class and I used your video on promising young woman as an example of how sexual assault is sometimes portrayed in media (the subject of the story was Medusa was not wrong)... I got an A on that paper and found a really dope TH-cam channel to sub to so thanks! 😜
While I enjoyed the movie, I felt that the ending montage depicting Oliver orchestrating meeting Felix, and setting up the murders seemed a bit excessive. It might have worked better had they left his involvement ambiguous, or continued to be subtle.
Reminds me of the ending of "The Gift" and how it had an alternate that explained everything and came off worse for it. Felt it was very good the actually film ultimately decided to take down out and keep a sense of ambiguity to it. Also, I was able to believe the first one, even the daughter with some leeway, but there was way too much yadda-yadda on the parents end in how those somehow didn't attract much investigation.
I thought it was another of Oliver delusions in the need he has to explain and spoon feed everything to us, his audience, as he tries to convince us he's a mastermind and not someone who is..well.. surely interested in some kinks
I know she's only made two movies, but I'm already seeing a pattern with people being angry that Emerald Fennell didn't make what they expected. Like, a lot of criticism of Promising Young Woman (which, personally, I adored and couldn't stop thinking about for... well, actually, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I first saw it exactly 2 years ago) was centered on the fact that people expected a feminist power fantasy about a woman killing rapists, and when they didn't get that they decided that it was a shit movie with nothing of value to offer. Same thing here: they wanted a "eat the rich" movie, and since it's not that, then it's vapid and worthless. I'm sure this isn't an issue just with her, but you know... (Also, while I didn't find the movie particularly shocking or disturbing, I will say that to me the bathtub scene felt at least an hour long. The slurping was a bit much)
Are you saying that Emerald pretends to criticize social issues and instead makes traps for people who want revenge on the opressors to feel bad for their feelings? Manipulating us all (With Cassie dying and Oliver being a monster)...
@@becca_98no, just that people often want a simple hot button topic with an ending we believe they deserve. We are given endings and stories that are simply more honest. Oliver wasn't someone that had a mega plan the entire time to take an estate- however he was smart enough to make lots of small bids for attention. Saltburn isn't about the "eat the rich" dynamic people expect and instead enters with more nuance. It isn't poor vs rich, it is one person deeply wanting someone and something he can't have. Cassie in PYW *is* acting on a "hot button topic" but in doing so is met with reality in a harsh way. She dies not to screw the audience but simply because she got herself in too deep and was never going to get out. I kinda think of them both as honest storytelling in the way there is not much to hide.
@@becca_98 I dont think thats what they're saying. Both movies point out the bad sides and evils of the people that you want it to. But those evils aren't the main point of the movies. The point is that any all consuming obsession will ruin your life. If you let obsession take over your life it will ruin you. If you dedicate your life to takinf something down you will fall with it. Much more literally in Cassie's case than Ollie's. Ollie is the villain by the end of the movie, he becomes the worst aspects of everything he hated about the family and more. He lets his obession with Felix and later SaltBurn take over his life, and it ruins him in the process. Sure, hes dancing around the house at the end of the movie. But how long will it take before the isolation gets to him. Hes all alone in that huge mansion, with absolutely no one left in his life. He doesnt have any family or friends. All he has is the house. Just him, alone in a huge estate.
@@becca_98TLDR: she does criticize them, but that isnt the point of the movie. The point is that when you let an obsession take over it ruins your life.
My take is this, when Emerald Fennell says that by the end we should be on Oliver's side, I would say that's less about us liking/supporting the things he did and more about us realizing that we are Oliver. In our time of celebrity and fandom and all of that toxicity, it's not a far reach to see the parallels between Oliver's relationship/behaviours with Felix and Saltburn and our our relationship with celebrities, sports stars and even internet creators. Emerald also mentioned something about her not believing people are as shocked about Oliver's actions as they say they are, and I'm inclined to agree. I think, given the chance, we would all destroy ourselves in a heartbeat if it meant we got to be close to our favourite celebrity (as much as we would never admit it). I think people are shocked because Oliver is disrupting that mental separation between our thoughts and actions by enacting our intrusive thoughts out loud. I mean look at all the people calling Oliver a creep for the cum tub slurp, but then turning around a making cum tub cocktails and saying things like "oh but if it was This Celebrity, I would totally drink their tub water". And I'm not saying we'd all be 0 to murder the instant we got access to the subject of our obsession, but we might make up a lie about ourselves, or our family, if we thought it could bring us closer to that person. Oliver's story just shows us the extreme of that kind of obsession. As someone who was raised in toxic fandom culture (like 2012 Tumblr toxic), this movie has absolutely given me a lot to personally reflect on, but I think it's so important of other people to take this movie as a way to examine their own relationship with desire, obsession, destruction and celebrity.
I didn't know she said that. Super interesting because by the end I literally told my bf, "Ok! I'm team Oliver." But mostly just cause I hate rich people.
@caseyw.6550 Oliver *is* rich people though. Even before his decision to take the mansion he came from a cushy upper middle class household. Like Amanda said: this movie simply isn't about class dynamics in an "eat the rich" way. It isn't saying "boo these people are rich they deserve punishment!" It is saying "these people are so disconnected from reality they are unaware of how hungry people can get to join them".
All that, but also, Emerald saying by the end we should be on Oliver's side is that he connects to today's viewers in that cognitive dissonance of despising but still envying the uber rich. People who are born into fortune and status because they didn't have to do any effort to achieve that lifestyle, the disconnected demeaning way they treat everyone else, the stupid extravagant billionaire shit we see on the internet and tabloids before that about how they spend more money than most people will have in their lifetime in just a single purchase of the stupidest most useless thing on earth that makes us feel like they are actively mocking the rest of the us by spending their money on dumb shit just because they can. That's the "eat the rich" hatred part. But at the same time we all have fantasized from little kids that we wanted to be princes and princesses, to have been born into a wealthy family, to have servants take care of every little need. We all think that if we were millionaires we would spend our money better than those crazy purchases we hear about. We hate the billionaires, most people as monarchies are dying out in the modern era think it's a dumb concept to be born with a noble title that makes you special, etc...but we still dream of being them. It's why men love media where a guy makes it big by conning and manipulating the system through loopholes or even illegally and stuff about magnates and kings, and why women like the genre of "romance with a prince/ceo" thing as a guilty pleasure, even if they are irl feminists who love to have freedom, independence and agency separate from men. That dissonance it's what makes us "team Oliver" despite not even liking him. He does awful things, but they are done to awful entitled people so there's not much empathy for the Felix's family either. He played them and won, but didn't do anything to a regular person, to anyone we could relate. A manor is now owned by a psychopath who stole it from a family of psychopaths. There is no moral victory so the viewers don't feel wronged by the outcome. The movie really is the ride of watching all of it unfold but by the end we don't care a dynasty family is destroyed. Oliver is unhinged and not a pleasant lead, but he still accomplishes the fantasy of living the billionaire lifestyle people dream about. And the way he does it I agree that it's an escalation of greed and obsession and not a perfectly devised plan. It reads like an addiction. He starts by devising a pervasive but still innocuous enough way of getting Felix's attention to get into the popular crowd, but he finds out maintaining and leveling up his status needs constant machinations, it's not a one and done and he gets a taste of it and becomes addicted (obsessed) and keeps wanting more. More Felix, more of the Family, more Saltburn, more and more. And like an addict it's the high that keeps him going. By the end when only the parents remain there's no more high to chase in that house, so he walks away with his prize money. The news of the father passing brings back his addiction/obsession with the family because now he has a new target to chase, the ultimate high of winning the big prize if successful.
I more liked than disliked Saltburn but it is like top end of mid-tier for me. However, I am DELIGHTED by how it has given us a Sophie Ellis-Bextor renaissance with the dance scene. Murder on the Dancefloor is now back in the UK charts and that song is such a banger.
25:47 omg i hated wuthering heights in high school too!! I was like “this isnt fun i hate the people that all these people kind of suck” and honestly that mightve been the point but realizing that in hindsight doesnt really make me want to root for them or peer into their lives any more than i already did.
I thought this was a “rich people do mean things to the poor northern kid” film which is why the twists floored me seeing as though I don’t actually live that far from Prescott 😂
I enjoyed the visual style, the dialogue and Rosamund Pike gives us an absolutely brilliant comedy performance. But, speaking as somebody UK born and grown, there's a weird background of class politics to the film (and the writer identifies herself as part of that privileged elite) which I haven't really seen discussed: there's a history here of the "old money" nobility perceiving the middle class as grubby and desperate to enter their ranks, and seeing the lower classes as somewhat parasitic - feeling happiest when the working class stick to their deferential roles of serving their "betters" and the middle class kept in check - so the ending of this film really leans into that fear. If Emerald Fennell thinks they did their job well if the audience ends up siding with Ollie, then sadly I think she failed: the family is portrayed as shallow, unconnected and cowardly (in terms of recognising their ill effect on others), but also very sympathetic and vulnerable, whereas Ollie is calculating, deceitful and murderous. Still, I hope Emerald Fennell continues to get more opportunities to make movies, as she's an interesting talent.
Completely agree UGHHH so happy this review exists. I think Fennell does a lot of mixing subtle and unsubtle and people tend to see the latter and just take the whole thing as that, leading to uncharitable interpretations, at least in my opinion.
Saltburn confirmed for me my taste in media is just "movies that leave your jaw slack with its weirdos". I loved this like i loved hereditary immediately. The quiet part just screaming to be said out loud. I cant wait to watch it again.
I love how the antlers he wore in the third act were a nod to his first role in Killing of a Sacred Deer, where he kinda played the same kind of person.
I was thinking this could've been a fascinating double feature, in an Upstairs/Downstairs kind of way. A parallel movie set with the servants, what they saw and know, and their own lives.
Thank you so much for this! It drives me nuts when people say "he was plotting to get Saltburn the entire time" when he didn't even know about the place when he was fixated on Felix and that it took more than a decade for the father to die, an event that he had absolutely nothing to do with. This was my favorite movie of the year not because it was the best but because it was such a fun ride.
personally, I liked Emerald Fennell's take on class commentary, give the middle class (Oliver) the same wealth and power as the 1% (Catton) and the wheel won't be reinvented or broken, they will just place themselves on top due to this obsession and desire for that lifestyle. Wealth is practically impossible to obtain without being born into that class by birth.
@booperdooper2631 totally agree with you that it isn't a new take, it was fascinating that it flew over people's heads (people thinking that this film was pro-rich etc)
@@chi-chi23oh it 100% isn't pro rich, although I wouldn't say it is that scathing of the rich either. It basically saids "it is a shame they are so oblivious to the real world". The only really irredeemable person is the one that wasn't born into it and got so desperate they ended up murdering almost an entire family. Even then, it is hard to tell what drew him to Felix at the beginning. He invents a masterplan but it still feel very implied that his popularity was enough to hook him.
I made the mistake of watching this movie with my parents during Christmas break, not really knowing what to expect. Let's just say that things got incredibly awkward between us during the bathtub and grave scenes.
I did too but we all just thought it was kinda funny at that point lol (in terms of the lengths Oliver went to). Tbf though my parents enjoy black humor and "out there" movies so they don't get icked out easily.
That background wall is giving kitchen that definitely has delicious home made cookies in it. Im having trouble focusing because im so lost in that kitchen vibe.
I've been a fan of Keoghan's since Eternals, where frankly he and Lauren Ridloff deservedly stole the show, and he absolutely made for a compelling protagonist here! It's one of the weirdest movies I've ever seen, and has some visuals that I've only ever seen accomplished in Nia DaCosta's work (and that's a huge compliment to both her and Emerald Fennell). Also Amanda, if you're looking for stuff to review/discuss, obviously I'm helping build the hype for you to talk more about Eileen like you said you might do here, but I think the live-action One Piece series on Netflix might be something fun to do! It's a great escapist adventure story with a lot of love and care put into it, and an adaptation of an anime/manga that will leave you gobsmacked with how good it is.
I'm in love with this film! I love the mysteries and the world. The characters are so unique and interesting. There's so much gorgeous, creative details. And the cinemathography is so stylish, beautifully shot on 35mm film. The soundtrack is amazing too!
I agree with your take for the original ending, the one we got definitely left me weirdly unsatisfied and annoyed? I didn’t feel like he deserved such a victory. The Saltburn family were bad people but my GOD he was way worse!! BHe deserved an undercut from the butler
See the ending seemed to confirm my thoughts that Oliver wasn't in love with Felix but that he wanted to be Felix. To have what he has and he set out to make sure he did.
I think both notions can be true at the same time. I, for sure, think Oliver was in love, infatuated, and thoroughly obsessed with Felix, which came about from Ollie voyeuristically admiring all qualities in Felix that he could only dream of having. When his web of lies, manipulation, and deceit were completely unraveled for Felix to see when he took Ollie back to his home, Ollie became more desperate to hold onto Felix than ever before. However, now because Felix has such disdain and disgust for Ollie, Ollie, can never repair Felix’s image of him or their relationship. In his twisted mind, if he can’t have Felix, then no one can, which led him to kill Felix. Pivoting to having what Felix had came much latter by happenstance to him. It was sheer luck for him that Elspeth still cared about him so much after 15 years, though he would’ve had no trouble manipulating her to if she didn’t. Everything that happened with him gaining favors with the family was him going with the flow. The notion of him setting up a long con from the get go is contrived but was told to us that way because Ollie is an unreliable narrator, and he wanted to make himself look smarter and grander that he actually was. Ollie’s primary motive was to love and be loved by Felix. His secondary motive of possessing the Family’s possessions are directly tied to the first, as the materialistic things are still of Felix. Attaining the estate is the only remaining legacy of Felix, so it all ties back to his lustful obsession with him. By the end of the movie, he has thoroughly consumed Felix and all the related to him.
Yes I remember a quote form call me by your name about this that I liked a lot: "did I want to be with him or to be him? But maybe this difference is not important in the realm of attraction"
@@ChiliCrisp88 I don't think "It was sheer luck for him that Elspeth still cared about him so much after 15 years", Ollie was there in her kids last days - that's easily something that stayed with her for all those years and that summer probably was something that was always in her mind. I would say that Ollie took educated guess with approaching Elspeth after her husband died with really high probability of succeeding to be back in her life [sorry if grammar is off, it is too late for me to build proper sentences in English :/]
I really liked this one a lot! Olivier did what he did out of obsession/love for Felix - I think you can see exact moment he decided to give him bottle as he realize he won't be able to fix their relation.
Knowing that some moments of this movie would trigger me, I had no intention of watching it. But it's been going kinda viral, so I'm glad I could watch this and still have an idea of what it's about! Thanks!
The beginning of Oliver and Felix’s relationship was super adorable. I was all in for this love story but I also knew it wasn’t going to end well based on what I heard about the film. Like just the way they look at each other. ❤❤ And then Oliver became more and more of a stalker… it was all down hill from there.
The cinematography and acting were incredible in the movie and the plot is ok but many plot points were not fleshed out properly and I feel like the pacing especially when we get to the end could be improved. That being said Jacob Elordi and Barry Keoghan both excelled.
I think it would be cool if the dancing scene but then he went straight into the original ending with the breakfast thing. I do agree it didn’t need a “happy/satisfying” ending tbh
Recently watched Saltburn with my hub (poor dude), not knowing what it was exactly. My God, what a rollercoaster. It was like a visual candy store full of glossy treats...and severed heads. I couldn't tear my eyes away even though my jaw was hanging open the whole time. I both loved and hated it, which isn't a bad thing as it means I will chew on it for years to come. Its another one of those inkblot movies, like Barbie. Everyone will interpret it differently, and just about every interpretation is valid. It goes layers and layers in, and despite it's missteps still leaves your mind reeling. Found your channel by pure accident thanks to watching another person's Saltburn video. I really enjoyed your take and I'm loving your other stuff. Count me as a new subscriber!
I actually want to re-read it because it seems like something I should really enjoy but, for whatever reason, I hated it so much I literally burned the notes when we finished the section in class
Even with Oliver walking around with horns on during the party, i didn't get the Minotaur connection. Thank you! It brings more meaning to the ending dance scene too.
AHHH I WAS LITERALLY WATCHING THIS MOVIE LAST NIGHT 😭😭😭 what a coincidence!! but this movie was very clever and very entertaining! Amanda, I’m glad you covered it when you did! I love your videos
Coincidentally, I've been kind of obsessively listening to Common People the past few months, and loved that it came up as a reference point in this movie. It seems like pretty heavy foreshadowing in retrospect: The final verse says, "Like a dog lying in the corner, they will bite you and never warn you--look out, they'll tear your insides out." Also portrays rich people as naive and oblivious ("but she didn't understand, she just smiled and held my hand"). Also includes a line about how things "will wash off in the bath..."
for me the biggest cringe was oliver's first birthday scene. I figured that was going to happen but still i squirmed. I maybe cackled at tub and funeral. I went first time on my own and 2nd time got friends to go. held my friends' hands during the birthday visit and flashed a giant grin when one of them predicted out loud what was about to happen at funeral lol,
I find it very interesting that for Felix & Venetia, Oli didn’t actually kill them -at least not directly. he presented them both with their vices, and then let them hurt themselves. I thinks that’s how he added another layer of separation, and why he mourned them so much, because technically they could’ve both lived if they didn’t give in to their vices. The same could probably be said for Farley because he also got kicked out of saltburn because of the drug use.
the “I’ve never wanted to know anything” line cracked me up, so cool that she helped create it 😂 thank you for giving Rosemund Pike her flowers, she was my favorite part of the movie honestly
Watched this movie in bits and pieces online with friends while my wifi was spotty as hell, and I'll probably rewatch to really catch the reflections etc but it was the best to all experience the absurdity together honestly. Loved the scene where it all fell apart for him - going to visit his parents.
Yes! I absolutely love your take on it - I've spoken to so many people who genuinely thought that the end was Oliver having a 'redemption arc' and that it was poorly executed. But the really important thing is how Oliver is a liar, he lies about everything. The 'victory' is not a real victory, that too is a kind of lie he is telling himself. 'I didn't love Felix, I wanted Saltburn, I got it, now I'm happy' - but it's fundamentally fake.
Random selection of thoughts on the movie. I agree with your comments on the ending. To me it felt triumphant at the end & not a hollow victory. I was waiting for Farley to turn up after the dance and shoot Ollie (or confront him) but the runny eggs from the butler sounds better. Undercutting him no matter what. Thank you for clarifying what happens to the daughter as that confused me (it was too vague) and given what we saw Oliver do to Elsbeth it would have made sense he could have done Venetia in. Really found the film engaging and can’t wait for Emerald Fennel’s next film 🎉
Like a snowball going downhill, his plan kept growing in size as each new opportunity presented itself. An apex predator as defined by the scene of Oliver sleeping on his back, belly up after the party, satisfied that he'd moved to the top of the food chain - lounging like the leader of the pride. Anyway, thx for another great breakdown, looking forward to more!
I think Oliver as an unreliable narrator is shown again in the scene with venetia in the bath. he only tells/shows us him placing the blades on the side of the bath (insimuating he provided venetia with the means to do it herself) but when venetia is discovered in the morning we see the bathroom floor absolutely destroyed with blood, leading towards the dressing room door. implying that there was more involved than what we are shown
you know, im always slow to watch new things but ive wanted to see this, since promising young woman is one of my favorite movies. was trying to avoid spoilers, but really happy to hear your thoughts on this, i love your takes on her films and actually makes me even more excited to watch. worth spoiling myself a little more than it already was lol ♡
Media with a tonne of buzz just isn't complete without an AmandaTheJedi take on it. I actualy find myself watching shows/movies now and thinking to myself "I can't wait until Amanda's video on this."
Loved it! I think we are going to see a lot more projects from Emerald Fennell and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next. A lot of the night scenes reminded me of Promising Young Woman. Fennell does a great job using lighting and colors that her films are like candy for the eyes.
i have been obsessed with barry keoghan since i saw the killing of a sacred deer back in 2018 i believe. i remember i was shocked when i watched him in an interview and heard his irish accent because his american accent was *chefs kiss*. his performance was utterly CHILLING and has stuck with me to this day. that movie in general is a beautiful nightmare and i highly recommend to anyone who hasn’t seen it, and i think most people in this comments section would certainly appreciate it. but anyway his performance stuck out even next to the legendary colin farrell (and love that they worked together again in banshees of inisherin!) and nicole kidman. he certainly proved himself more than capable of inhabiting extremely dark, complex, creepy, nuanced, and weirdly sexy characters lol. he also proved himself more than worthy of playing the joker, but i was far more excited for this movie when i realized he was the lead and of course HE DID NOT DISAPPOINT. i’m excited to see him get more mainstream recognition and to see that he is being recognized as more of a leading man? i guess is the phrase im looking for lol, y’all know what i mean. and he’s just fine as HELL. yeah yeah jacob elordi is too, but idk there’s something about barry lol. maybe it’s the ocean eyes. my point is, he’s great and i am excited to see what else he does and how he interprets the joker. i enjoyed this movie and though i wasn’t a fan of the ending, i was willing to overlook that in lieu of the beautiful cinematography and or course the acting and my mans barry 😍🙄 i also enjoyed promising young woman.. i love that she specifically cast men we typically see as “nice guys”/typically play those roles… well really i just love bo burnham lol. it wasn’t perfect and certainly had its flaws but there was also a lot to be admired. let’s just say it showed emerald fennel was a … promising young director… (and woman)… a promising young woman director 😂 yeah i went there 😅 🤦🏻♀️ (why am i like this?) … i’ll see myself out now edit: also rosamund pike is a QUEEN!!! i distinctly remember seeing gone girl and being like oh shit is that the frosty bond girl from die another day? i just distinctly remembered her in like some ice hotel? igloo? and always dressed like… frosty is the only word that comes to mind. edit 2: i just googled her in die another day and i’m DYING… today (omg i have to stop)- but her character was LITERALLY named miranda frost 🥶❄️🧊 and was indeed, always dressed very .. frosty! seeing her growth and career plus her effervescent beauty, it’s no surprise she was a bond girl 🔥
This movie took me on a ride I will not forget, and I don't feel... cheated. I feel like these are twisted paths a story could logically take. Absolutely loved this movie.
Oh that explains the billboard.... its a lucky coincidence that I time you randomly took the shot. But with the main character that's the thing throw me off, in my head it's obvious what is going on here and who we are following. And when it shows it. Not surprised. Let's put the tones in and have murders going off, wait. Yes. I know.... creepy unsettling posture is right there!
My friends and I went into this movie with no idea what it was about. We thought it was a proper horror movie and were VERY shocked to find it wasn't. It was kinda revolting & fascinating to watch. The night we saw it, I wasn't sure I liked it. I was like, sick to my stomach lmao. I thought it was very pretty but too much. It stuck with me though, and the more time passed, the more it grew on me. I enjoy how it explores obsessive, (almost impure or false) love; it's a very fun movie. Also, I feel like I missed some of the points Saltburn was trying to make on my first watch, so I want to see it again.
It is interestinv that you said you thought it would be a horror, because, now that I think about it, why not? It follows the same progression. We get introduced to the characters and the bogetman, and one by one, they all get picked off. The victims are oblivious to the fact they are in danger, or they are powerless to fend for themselves. A right, proper horror movie here.
okay i just wanna say, that from my own personal perspective, and my own relationship with my autism....you made me wanna watch this really bad. like, even just your description of this, feels like such a good dramatic depiction of the type of obsession and rejection and heightened emotions i've experienced. especially so, when you go through adolescence undiagnosed, so you just have all these massive feelings, and highs and lows and no understanding of how to work through them. the masking and trying to be what everyone wants, turning the obsession to hatred to cope with rejection--i just gotta find time to watch this 😩 anyway thank you for covering it!!! the discussion around it has been so vague!
Yeah, it was the drain tounging that was where it got “shocking” for me too. I also agree, the tub scene is really the key point that emphasizes this wasn’t really just about the house. The movie really isn’t for everyone. I can see where it would push the envelope too far for some. That they don’t see the necessity for scenes that make your stomach turn. Writing them off as shock value, and I have felt that way about some scenes in some movies. Not this one though. Sure, the wrap-up was a bit messy. Not terrible, and it didn’t ruin the movie, but somehow surprisingly predictable. I like the ending you suggested too. That would have given it a tinge of hollowness, or worry for the viewer for Duncan. I asked about him and Farleigh when the movie finished. Overall, yes, it was such a wild enjoyable ride. I would thoroughly recommend it… to the right kind of viewer.
What you expect: Me losing my mind
What you get: Me trying to bring nuance to c*m tub
LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS!
No need to apologise. I'm just full of joy you've put out a new video just as I sit down to relax 😃
One of the most interesting things to me about this movie's reception is that apparently UK audiences have tended to view it more as a satire and US audiences have tended to take it at face value. With that particular socioeconomic class so deeply embedded in the UK's cultural past and present, it must hit really differently and more specifically. I'm so curious to know how people from other places viewed it, and what kinds of socioeconomic relationships they have personally and culturally.
I somehow never saw any ads or clips of this so… a lot at once but great time along the way.
@@hockeygrrlmuseUK here and I agree. For me it’s a wild ride, dealing with that north/south divide we’re all familiar with (even if Barry’s “scouce” accent was Irish most of the time 😂)
I must be in for a wild ride
i firmly believe that every amazing movie jacob elordi contributes to is a form of repentance for the kissing booth
Agreed, I love that he's receiving better roles, and isn't typecast in romantic comedies.
he’s doing a damn good job so far
He deserved all these opportunities!
It's a strange thing where actors work through terrible cheesy movies and afterwords do compelling and wodnerful roles
hes the new robert pattinson
Felix really felt like the male "manic pixie dream girl" to me. We see glimpses of him, but we never really know him. It's a really smart retelling of how that obsessions makes someone impossible to really know, and also is a direct threat to their wellbeing
Manic pixie dream boi 😩😩
The male Ramona Flowers
Well, damn.....yes. you pinpointed it.
I think this review from Letterboxd summed it up best: "i swear that freak gained new powers every time he consumed the bodily fluids of this family"
😂😂😂
Well he is a vampire so that makes sense
😂😂😂😊
Oh f**k that broke me🤣
Lmao, he did say he's a vampire.
I think my favorite part is the way they used the “dead wife in the beginning of the movie” shot style when showing Felix. It subverted what it is usually used for it and I loved that.
Omg you’re so right, I didn’t think about it like that. That’s such a good observation
This is so true, the slow motion shots, wind in his "unruly" hair, mona lisa smiles at the camera - immediately gives you the notion, oh damn he's not exactly alive is he
Also immediately establishes the female gaze that the movie is shot from. The fact that the scene makes such an impression shows how conditioned we are to the male gaze.
Omg the ending with him being served runny eggs by the butler ( the only character that saw him for what he was) after his “ victory “ dance would have been amazing
Absolutely. Would have changed the entire film for me.
Yeah I definitely prefer that ending!!
No I would've hated that because why would he keep employing Duncan(the butler)? That's stupid, he could just hire new staff. Especially because they don't seem to like each other at all. I really prefer the ending we got. He's won, yes, but also he's all alone
Trying to give him a triumphant ending felt kind of lame and weaksauce.
@@Vincentvondoom I mean it's not like the family were worth rooting for that hard. The only truly tragic character was Venetia. And maybe Felix, but even he was kind of a well-meaning brat.
hot take maybe?? but i think saltburn has what dear evan hansen wanted (or at least what it could’ve been) - fucked up story of a kid lying to and profiting off of a rich family, except saltburn actually sticks to it instead of chickening out and justifying everything
My new headcanon, amazing
DEH is like Saltburn for teens. Or Saltburn is DEH on crack. Who knows which way around 😂
DEH doesn't work because they did chicken out and tried to make him sympathetic, which can work to a point here by making Oliver relatable in his greed but mostly because the people he plays are entitled disconnected pricks, whereas DEH does it to a grieving "normal" family. They might be rich but not old money billionaires, and they were loving between themselves, which is why it was so easy for the lead to exploit them, and why it backfires so badly on the audience when the movie tries to excuse and redeem him. Oliver exploits people who are completely self absorbed and only "care" for each other for appearance's sake. Because the victims are so unlikable they could've tried to give Oliver more of an antihero Joker movie vibe where we sympathize with him even tho he is criminally unhinged. It would have made more sense here to go for sympathy than in DEH, even if objectively the crimes are way milder in DEH. But I'm glad it doesn't and is unapologetic towards Oliver, he himself as narrator, apart from the constant humiliation he suffers, makes it clear everything he did was because he wanted to (he even brags about it all being his masterplan when it is clear he went with the flow taking advantage as he went on). Another fascinating thing about the movie is that unlike DEH and other media where the lead makes a wrong choice and then becomes entangled in a web of lies because of it, escalating out of control without a way to step out, here Oliver could have quit at any moment with no personal loss. He was free to leave and it's his choice to keep escalating. There's a lot of media where one initial bad decision escalates and the audience experiences the trainwreck feeling while watching it. Here the train keeps going because Oliver is in the driver's seat. He doesn't control the route, but he makes sure to step on the pedal to speed up and cause maximum damage at every chance, when he could just as easily stop the train and get out.
@@b14luar but also Oliver is never seen as sympathetic, so that is a big difference.
Lmao I was thinking that just now as I was working having finally seen it last night 💀
Everyone was all ‘bathtub scene this period scene that’ but watching the mom get that tube ripped out of her throat was 10x worse than either of those moments for me
Grave banging scene and tube pulling scene were just 😨
The fact he made a point to basically confess to her eight before killing her is particularly twisted.
Dude the grave scene was the only scene that rly shook me. His love for Felix was so twisted and disgusting. He wasn't even sad that he died he was horny. I'm so fucked up for this but I found the bathtub and vampire scenes hot 😭😭😭😭😭
@@mozorellastick2583 kinda valid tbh
@@mozorellastick2583 Hot...?!
FINALLY someone who echoes my sentiments and interpretations of the movie!!! especially pointing out that we begin the movie with beautiful shots of felix and not saltburn.
people complained about how emerald fennell did not include enough sweeping shots of the house or that the aspect ratio doesn't allow us to see the whole castle as though she didn't understand her own movie when THEY'VE got the wrong idea. there are sweeping shots of felix and the aspect ratio disallows us from looking at anything but felix when he's in the frame. felix is what he always wanted, saltburn is what he settled on when he couldn't have him
Well said!
I'm surprised people didn't like this movie more, I loved it so much, so many incredible shots and scenes and performances. Saw it last night and keep thinking and talking about it. Best movie I've watched since parasite and we watch a lot of movies
Golly! I’m debating watching the movie, but your comment is so articulate! Your ability to comprehend and analyze that’s is impressive!
In a way I feel like owning Saltburn is like "owning" Felix in a way. If his body was buried on the grounds, then he kinda does own him in a creepy way, but if it's not it's kinda like owning the memory of him.
also taking his place, coming as close to being him as he could ever hope to get.
I believe oli’s opening monologue hints to this envy; did he love him or was he in love with him, as another way of saying “do I want him or want to be him”; for someone like oliver, I don’t think envy and love are easily distinguishable
Very good point 🤔
Farleigh is actually lucky that he got banned from Saltburn, or he might have been the next murder victim. Also, Barry Keoghan definitely deserves an Oscar Nomination for his chilling performance.
He blew my mind in The Banshees of Inisherin. Such a spectacular main cast and he still managed to absolutely shine and steal every scene he was in. His portrayal of Dominic shattered my heart.
My thinking is Farleigh never would’ve gotten murdered bc then that would mean Oliver acknowledged Farleigh is a part of Saltburn
@@frontporchcake7592exactly. In a weird way the fact that Oliver didn’t even bother killing Farleigh was an insult.
EXACTLY! I’m like Farleigh’s the _only survivor!_
The problem with that is he is a blood relative. Wills are not inviolable and Farleigh absolutey would have taken it to probate and won. Elspeth is a dowager. She clearly was struggling mentally. It is not not normal to name a guy your dead son knew for a few months 16 years ago sole heir. Duncan who sat through all of this absolutley would have backed Farleigh up. Not to mention this would draw police attention to Oliver along with a dozen other things like India seeing Felix and Oliver arguing at the place and time of Felix's sudden death.
Emerald Fennel could write an award winning version of Riverdale but Roberto Aguirrez-Acasa could never write Saltburn
PREACH!!!
FAX
Saltburn sucks tho
I also really liked how they involved vomit when there was some foul play from Oliver's side. When he got the call from his mom it was a shot of the sink with vomit, then the rock for his dad landed in vomit. Then he went off to throw up in the maze with Felix which was an indication that he was up to something and it showed that he is behind his death, even before the reveal at the end.
I don’t understand why no one else is talking about this! I noticed the same thing. But also, Venetia is a bulemic, Oliver puts his fingers into her mouth and she puts hers in his too later in her tub scene. Oliver also mentions that he was made to put his fingers down his mother’s throat and Elspeth gestures fingers in her throat to tell Oliver about Venetias bulemia . So, I think the vomit theme runs deep. Then you add in the blood and semen and well…
Incredible insight
I think folks mistake Oliver's plotting. He didn't have this 15 year plot, just get an intro into this world. It's obvious how Felix suddenly visiting his home and uncovering Oliver's lies was an unexpected move so killing Felix the only option. Later he hit in the whole inheritance bit but that wasn't his initial goal until he realized the opportunity with this screwed up family.
I agree
Agree. I thought his initial plan was to worm his way into Felixe's life and, once he met them, his family. After he's found out, it's on to plan B aka kill them all
See that is what bothered me too. The way they had him dancing around at the end made it seem like he was suppose to be some master manipulator but he couldn't dissuade Felix from taking him home? How did it take him so long to figure out where they were going and have some way of convincing Felix that it was dangerous, etc. If they had kept the egg ending it would have made the rest so much clearer.
The drive from Cornwall to Preston is like 9 hours but he didn't figure it out at any point. He's not a mastermind
Yes thank you!! I don't think he knew who Felix was or wanted to get saltburn to himself the whole time that just became his plan later. He only killed Felix after he was rejected and felt he had no way to win him back over
I knew I could count on you. So many of the people criticising the movie are criticising it for what they wanted it to be and not what it was.
THIS!
Exactly!! They wanted it to be an 'eat-the-rich' film, about him taking down old money from the inside, and seeing people critique it from that standpoint is so frustrating. i saw a tumblr post being like 'saltburn isn't doing what it thinks it is' which missed the point entirely because it viewed it from the eat the rich perspective. Saltburn is meant to show a little freak boy be a little freak and thats what we got
@@jordanjones51you are speaking my thoughts
@@jordanjones51Saltburn tries to be more complex than that. Don’t be purposely obtuse.
@@xxxmaysilssss690I don’t think they’re being obtuse, just a little joking in their delivery
The larger point is that an “eat the rich” class critique wasn’t really the main point of the film
I coped much better with most of the “shocking” moments than I did with the awkward meals and social stuff. That stuff reminded me of all the unwritten rules of dealing with my (admittedly middle class) British family.
"what a little weirdo" was my ultimate review of Saltburn lol
The Doppelganger, 'we turn into monsters' threat, and the Vampire scene adds a layer of impending horror and keeps you guessing where the film is going.
Everyone talks about the shocking scenes but the maze scene has always stuck with me. Barry's acting, Jacob's utter disgust, it's amazing
the way Oliver looks at him with those puppy eyes full of desire and you can see he wants to kiss Felix so bad despite him hating his guts because he's a psycopath omg it HURT to watch, I don't know why so many people missed the point about obsession
@@VictoriaClerici YES! Obsession is so destructive. Barry does an amazing job at portraying the range of emotions that come with it
So many incredible scenes. The lunch after Felix dies is amazing, all the actors put in great performances
Watched this one with my partner, we were both left initially a little confused about the turn from Felix to Saltburn. Something I picked up only through a first watch, so don't quote me on it, but the rocks really left me floored. Oliver's dad's rock didn't sink because he wasn't really dead. Oliver fishing back for the rocks (in my head he did it as soon as he had the chance to after each of the deaths since I'm pretty sure we don't see a shot of the rocks together underwater) as a way to keep his obsession and not allow them to rest in peace.
In the shot of Vee's rock underwater felix's rock isn't there anymore
I think Saltburn and The Menu would make a nice double feature.
That is SO true 😂
The Menu was heaps and bounds better than this snooze fest of a movie.
Weirdly enough, for the depths of perversity and depravity Saltburn puts us through, I found it so compelling to watch Ollie’s next move. Whereas in The Menu, I could barely remain in my seat I was so damn uncomfortable. Like, I needed to pause countless times in was so panic attack inducing and for what lol
Don't forget Knives Out
Felix drove Oliver from Cornwall to Preston without him asking where they were going till they were almost there. That's like a 5 and a half hour drive
Do you really think Emerald Fennell knows where Preston is?
Prescot in Liverpool, not Preston :) still miles away
It can't be in cornwall. But even if it's just in one of the home countries, it's still hours worth of driving in a roofless jeep in England. Felix is a brave one.
The musical choices were also just excellent! The pub playing "Destroy everything you touch" whilst Olly is staring longingly, the birthday music blaring "Loneliness"!
The thing that no one seems to be talking about - which you touch on a little here - is the servants. You mention Duncan, and him knowing everything, but the thing that keeps going around my head is they ALL must have known.
He had to leave in the early morning, the servants are all standing outside watching. Mirrors and reflections and hidden watchers - is it that they stayed silent because they thought the Cattons deserved what happened?
Not a fully formed thought from me, but as I say it had been going around in my brain.
I agree, the way they look at him and watch him changes throughout the film and by the time he leaves, some are looking at him passively, others with slight wariness and disgust, but 1 guy waves happily (I almost thought it was farleigh at first) as if glad this creepy dude is finally gone and rubbing it it.
The main butler giving one final look at homegirls funeral at th end before his dance scene made me kinda disappointed that he didn't come up and stab him in the end after his dance scene and grab the rocks to properly lay the family to rest as Olver gasps and bleedes out while he walks away closing the blinds ro leave him alone in a final humiliation.
It may also be that they are, above all else, against making a fuss about things.
It's bittersweet that this film is getting so much attention now, as its theatrical run dries up. Happy that people are finding it but also sad it didn't make that much at the box office.
Amazon bought the rights so we're lucky it even hit theatres, their interest was always driving streaming traffic and the release for it digitally went insanely well for them - I think this was the best case scenario, decent theatrical run to build the buzz, then making it available for anyone with Prime
To be fair it was HEAVILY overshadowed by barbienhemier
It just kind of earns the title of cult classic that way. Nothing wrong with that
My friend and I saw it in the theatres before Christmas, but it was the merest chance.
Anytime I saw the trailers, they didn't make any sense. I had no idea what it was about so I wasn't interested in it. They should've done better at advertising it
My favourite smaller things are the flash of a doppleganger during the breakfast scene, the red of the party and last family dinner & the cut to a wide shot when the mother talks about "Common People" framing such a grand beautiful historic house full of history and knowledge.
Not sure I adore it but this movie will stay with me forever
Loved the doppelganger moment!
For me the reason saltburn was so freaky and scary was the fact that I DEEPLY related to oliver in the beginning. The slightly nerdy, most definitely unpopular kid finally has a new chance to make friends by going off to university (though admittedly i dont go to oxford). At the beginning of uni, not really making any friends, kinda lonely and not feeling too great. To the end of the uni year finally having friends, including a fairly rich, but not nearly as much as felix kinda rich, one. Finally being in a slightly higher social standing in terms of friends. being invited back to a home that is enormous compared to yours for break.
and then. the person that you so deeply deeply related to turns out to be a freaky weirdo who does awful, uncomfortable things. It freaked me out!
I related to him the entire movie. I was so into him killing everyone.
I felt like you were absolutely supposed to feel for him and see him as the hero. Even if you don’t identify with him, I think we all empathized with that cafeteria scene, or the one where he overheard one girl talking sht about him. I actually felt the worst when he was stuck with that one “friend”, because I’ve been there. For me, the biggest twist was when he watched Felix have sex. That’s when we saw the sinister underbelly and realize he’s not this awkward, innocent hero who just needs a chance. He’s the creepy man who latches on at the first display of kindness. It shifts the whole tone, but feels hard to reconcile when you still want to root for him. Especially when you’re not given anyone else to root for.
I love gothic books and stories about obsessive love and desire so this movie was literally made for me
Me too! Got any recs?
@@EmyN definitely picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde which is about morally gray character obsessed with youth. Now for stories about obsessive love and desire specifically, Jennifer’s body and Yellowjackets reminded me a lot of Oliver’s all consuming desire for Felix. There’s also boys of Alabama by Genevieve Hudson which is a southern gothic book which reminded me of Oliver’s desire for saltburn because the main character is an outsider wanting to fit in.
@@amolove24 Oh I know all of these 😂 and love them all, I don’t know Alabama though, reminds me of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, will check it out. I know it was not asked but Neon Demon could be your vibe! It’s a slow burn critic of the model industry with Elle Fanning and Keanu Reeves, tackling, of course, obsession, in this case with beauty, it’s also visually gorgeous. But do you have any more recs?
@@EmyN omg I actually have seen neon demon!! The critics it had on the modeling were so interesting I wish there were more movies about it. Another book I would recommend is if we were villains. Again it has obsessive characters and it’s dark academia about student actors studying Shakespeare in an elite arts college. It’s pretty popular online so idk if you’ve heard of it or not but I absolutely loved it. (Also if you have any other recs please lmk!!)
@@amolove24 Oh it’s on my reading list! Now I’m more excited to read it! Girl we know or heard of everything the other knows 😂 let’s see… you likely saw Black Swan and Whiplash (the boy version of Black Swan if you will lol), but how about The Voyeurs with Sydney Sweeney? I heard people didn’t like it but me and my friend did! It’s a suspense/drama where a young couple (Sydney and her partner) move in to an apartment facing another completely exposed to the outside world, and let’s just say they start to get curious about the life of the young couple living there, hence the name “voyeurs” lol, it’s kinda of a “sexy” movie with the lighting, mood and attractive cast, just like Saltburn! There is also Sightless, it’s not as good but I did have a good time watching it, it’s another suspense where our protagonist (Madelaine Petsch) loses her sight in an acid attack, and as she readjusts to her new life she starts to suspect her attacker is after her again, could have been more polished but it had very interesting concepts and I think is a fun watch! The Voyeurs it’s on Amazon Prime and Sightless it’s on HBO, although it’s available on Amazon Prime for rent, this is all the current status in my country though, could be different for you
I always saw Oliver as a unreliable narrator, he summed every up as a grand scheme but I felt he was always going with the flow and doing smaller things as he learned more details or as situations presented themselves.
I definitely see this in his first one-on-one conversation with Elsbeth. The hitting on her but then shifting his attention toward Pamela. At first, I saw it as him becoming more like the Cattons and treating people like objects, but by the end I saw it as him finding his place in the family. They weren’t necessarily affecting him, he was just learning how to interact with them in order to get what he wanted.
But I don’t think it was a planned out thing, he just felt the situation out and acted accordingly. I don’t even know if he knew what he wanted in the end.
I agree. It seemed, at the beginning, that he was just desperately trying to win Felix over, find a stable place at his side by winning over the family; but then he realized how precarious his place at his side really is. Once he saw that, he did everything he could to find a benefactor, someone to keep him in this world so that he can be with Felix, even if it is just tangentially so. When no one can give them that because of the sting of humiliation at Felix's side, he turns his wrath on them, hating them, and I think to some extent Felix, for only giving him the crumbs off their table, not necessarily in terms of the wealth and privilege, but in terms of the enduring acceptance, attention, and affection.
Im also very torn on his feelings for felix the whole grave scene has me thinking he had feeling for him, but I can't decide if they were romantic or if he became obsessed with just him.
@@DapperJay5the latter definitely feels so
As much as I was drooling over Jacob Elordi and Barry Keoghan, I liked the ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (2005) with Rosamund Pike and Carey Mulligan coming together.
I've been hearing so much about Saltburn non-stop, I was *not* expecting "Dear Evan Hansen, but it's a prestige (intentional) drama / thriller." This one I'm actually going to have to watch, it looks right up my alley, thank you!
As someone who grew up workingclass in the homecounties, i have ended up being a pet to people like this more than once, much to my own shame. I feel like this perfectly encapsulates the battle between middle clas and landed gentry. The way that middle class weaponise their perceived struggle (normally from nothing more than just a northern accent) and the totaly discontect from reality from the generationally wealthy. Oliver talkong about how the rich dont need to work but he does is such a good example of the middle class/new money delution that they worked for what they have so its not really wealth hording.
I kept thinking of all the hair & grime that must be stuck in that drain, everyone in the theater was gagging, me included. Saltburn was disgusting & glorious, easily my favorite film of 2023.
if they used a dirty bathtub that is a whole other level
I was doing research for a narrative non fiction story I had to write for a creative writing class and I used your video on promising young woman as an example of how sexual assault is sometimes portrayed in media (the subject of the story was Medusa was not wrong)... I got an A on that paper and found a really dope TH-cam channel to sub to so thanks! 😜
That's so cool thank you for sharing!
While I enjoyed the movie, I felt that the ending montage depicting Oliver orchestrating meeting Felix, and setting up the murders seemed a bit excessive. It might have worked better had they left his involvement ambiguous, or continued to be subtle.
agreed!
I thought it was pretty obvious and didn't really need to be spoon fed to us, so I pretty much agree
Reminds me of the ending of "The Gift" and how it had an alternate that explained everything and came off worse for it. Felt it was very good the actually film ultimately decided to take down out and keep a sense of ambiguity to it. Also, I was able to believe the first one, even the daughter with some leeway, but there was way too much yadda-yadda on the parents end in how those somehow didn't attract much investigation.
completely agree
I thought it was another of Oliver delusions in the need he has to explain and spoon feed everything to us, his audience, as he tries to convince us he's a mastermind and not someone who is..well.. surely interested in some kinks
I know she's only made two movies, but I'm already seeing a pattern with people being angry that Emerald Fennell didn't make what they expected. Like, a lot of criticism of Promising Young Woman (which, personally, I adored and couldn't stop thinking about for... well, actually, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I first saw it exactly 2 years ago) was centered on the fact that people expected a feminist power fantasy about a woman killing rapists, and when they didn't get that they decided that it was a shit movie with nothing of value to offer. Same thing here: they wanted a "eat the rich" movie, and since it's not that, then it's vapid and worthless.
I'm sure this isn't an issue just with her, but you know...
(Also, while I didn't find the movie particularly shocking or disturbing, I will say that to me the bathtub scene felt at least an hour long. The slurping was a bit much)
That's a really good point. I haven't seen this yet so looking forward to it
Are you saying that Emerald pretends to criticize social issues and instead makes traps for people who want revenge on the opressors to feel bad for their feelings? Manipulating us all (With Cassie dying and Oliver being a monster)...
@@becca_98no, just that people often want a simple hot button topic with an ending we believe they deserve. We are given endings and stories that are simply more honest.
Oliver wasn't someone that had a mega plan the entire time to take an estate- however he was smart enough to make lots of small bids for attention.
Saltburn isn't about the "eat the rich" dynamic people expect and instead enters with more nuance. It isn't poor vs rich, it is one person deeply wanting someone and something he can't have.
Cassie in PYW *is* acting on a "hot button topic" but in doing so is met with reality in a harsh way. She dies not to screw the audience but simply because she got herself in too deep and was never going to get out.
I kinda think of them both as honest storytelling in the way there is not much to hide.
@@becca_98 I dont think thats what they're saying. Both movies point out the bad sides and evils of the people that you want it to. But those evils aren't the main point of the movies. The point is that any all consuming obsession will ruin your life. If you let obsession take over your life it will ruin you. If you dedicate your life to takinf something down you will fall with it. Much more literally in Cassie's case than Ollie's. Ollie is the villain by the end of the movie, he becomes the worst aspects of everything he hated about the family and more. He lets his obession with Felix and later SaltBurn take over his life, and it ruins him in the process. Sure, hes dancing around the house at the end of the movie. But how long will it take before the isolation gets to him. Hes all alone in that huge mansion, with absolutely no one left in his life. He doesnt have any family or friends. All he has is the house. Just him, alone in a huge estate.
@@becca_98TLDR: she does criticize them, but that isnt the point of the movie. The point is that when you let an obsession take over it ruins your life.
My take is this, when Emerald Fennell says that by the end we should be on Oliver's side, I would say that's less about us liking/supporting the things he did and more about us realizing that we are Oliver. In our time of celebrity and fandom and all of that toxicity, it's not a far reach to see the parallels between Oliver's relationship/behaviours with Felix and Saltburn and our our relationship with celebrities, sports stars and even internet creators. Emerald also mentioned something about her not believing people are as shocked about Oliver's actions as they say they are, and I'm inclined to agree. I think, given the chance, we would all destroy ourselves in a heartbeat if it meant we got to be close to our favourite celebrity (as much as we would never admit it). I think people are shocked because Oliver is disrupting that mental separation between our thoughts and actions by enacting our intrusive thoughts out loud. I mean look at all the people calling Oliver a creep for the cum tub slurp, but then turning around a making cum tub cocktails and saying things like "oh but if it was This Celebrity, I would totally drink their tub water". And I'm not saying we'd all be 0 to murder the instant we got access to the subject of our obsession, but we might make up a lie about ourselves, or our family, if we thought it could bring us closer to that person. Oliver's story just shows us the extreme of that kind of obsession. As someone who was raised in toxic fandom culture (like 2012 Tumblr toxic), this movie has absolutely given me a lot to personally reflect on, but I think it's so important of other people to take this movie as a way to examine their own relationship with desire, obsession, destruction and celebrity.
I didn't know she said that. Super interesting because by the end I literally told my bf, "Ok! I'm team Oliver." But mostly just cause I hate rich people.
@caseyw.6550 Oliver *is* rich people though. Even before his decision to take the mansion he came from a cushy upper middle class household. Like Amanda said: this movie simply isn't about class dynamics in an "eat the rich" way. It isn't saying "boo these people are rich they deserve punishment!" It is saying "these people are so disconnected from reality they are unaware of how hungry people can get to join them".
All that, but also, Emerald saying by the end we should be on Oliver's side is that he connects to today's viewers in that cognitive dissonance of despising but still envying the uber rich. People who are born into fortune and status because they didn't have to do any effort to achieve that lifestyle, the disconnected demeaning way they treat everyone else, the stupid extravagant billionaire shit we see on the internet and tabloids before that about how they spend more money than most people will have in their lifetime in just a single purchase of the stupidest most useless thing on earth that makes us feel like they are actively mocking the rest of the us by spending their money on dumb shit just because they can. That's the "eat the rich" hatred part. But at the same time we all have fantasized from little kids that we wanted to be princes and princesses, to have been born into a wealthy family, to have servants take care of every little need. We all think that if we were millionaires we would spend our money better than those crazy purchases we hear about. We hate the billionaires, most people as monarchies are dying out in the modern era think it's a dumb concept to be born with a noble title that makes you special, etc...but we still dream of being them. It's why men love media where a guy makes it big by conning and manipulating the system through loopholes or even illegally and stuff about magnates and kings, and why women like the genre of "romance with a prince/ceo" thing as a guilty pleasure, even if they are irl feminists who love to have freedom, independence and agency separate from men. That dissonance it's what makes us "team Oliver" despite not even liking him. He does awful things, but they are done to awful entitled people so there's not much empathy for the Felix's family either. He played them and won, but didn't do anything to a regular person, to anyone we could relate. A manor is now owned by a psychopath who stole it from a family of psychopaths. There is no moral victory so the viewers don't feel wronged by the outcome.
The movie really is the ride of watching all of it unfold but by the end we don't care a dynasty family is destroyed. Oliver is unhinged and not a pleasant lead, but he still accomplishes the fantasy of living the billionaire lifestyle people dream about. And the way he does it I agree that it's an escalation of greed and obsession and not a perfectly devised plan. It reads like an addiction. He starts by devising a pervasive but still innocuous enough way of getting Felix's attention to get into the popular crowd, but he finds out maintaining and leveling up his status needs constant machinations, it's not a one and done and he gets a taste of it and becomes addicted (obsessed) and keeps wanting more. More Felix, more of the Family, more Saltburn, more and more. And like an addict it's the high that keeps him going. By the end when only the parents remain there's no more high to chase in that house, so he walks away with his prize money. The news of the father passing brings back his addiction/obsession with the family because now he has a new target to chase, the ultimate high of winning the big prize if successful.
I totally agree with this bevause my obsession with lady gaga when I was in 8th grade was fkn creepy. 😭😭
8th grade you had taste tho tbh
@@manicpepsicola3431
Saltburn felt like a very special episode of Gossip Girl.
I more liked than disliked Saltburn but it is like top end of mid-tier for me. However, I am DELIGHTED by how it has given us a Sophie Ellis-Bextor renaissance with the dance scene. Murder on the Dancefloor is now back in the UK charts and that song is such a banger.
It’s like they saw Parasite and went “what of Ki-woo and the Kim family actually decided to go and do that drunken rant plot?”
25:47 omg i hated wuthering heights in high school too!! I was like “this isnt fun i hate the people that all these people kind of suck” and honestly that mightve been the point but realizing that in hindsight doesnt really make me want to root for them or peer into their lives any more than i already did.
I thought this was a “rich people do mean things to the poor northern kid” film which is why the twists floored me seeing as though I don’t actually live that far from Prescott 😂
I for one would love a video on Eileen. Especially since it’s based on a book that you may have read so I’d like to see how they compare
I enjoyed the visual style, the dialogue and Rosamund Pike gives us an absolutely brilliant comedy performance. But, speaking as somebody UK born and grown, there's a weird background of class politics to the film (and the writer identifies herself as part of that privileged elite) which I haven't really seen discussed: there's a history here of the "old money" nobility perceiving the middle class as grubby and desperate to enter their ranks, and seeing the lower classes as somewhat parasitic - feeling happiest when the working class stick to their deferential roles of serving their "betters" and the middle class kept in check - so the ending of this film really leans into that fear.
If Emerald Fennell thinks they did their job well if the audience ends up siding with Ollie, then sadly I think she failed: the family is portrayed as shallow, unconnected and cowardly (in terms of recognising their ill effect on others), but also very sympathetic and vulnerable, whereas Ollie is calculating, deceitful and murderous.
Still, I hope Emerald Fennell continues to get more opportunities to make movies, as she's an interesting talent.
Completely agree UGHHH so happy this review exists. I think Fennell does a lot of mixing subtle and unsubtle and people tend to see the latter and just take the whole thing as that, leading to uncharitable interpretations, at least in my opinion.
Saltburn confirmed for me my taste in media is just "movies that leave your jaw slack with its weirdos". I loved this like i loved hereditary immediately. The quiet part just screaming to be said out loud. I cant wait to watch it again.
The absolute grin that spread across my face when I looked down to see a new Amanda thumbnail and then read the title.......
"Oliver is a little wacko" is just a fantastic sentence
I love how the antlers he wore in the third act were a nod to his first role in Killing of a Sacred Deer, where he kinda played the same kind of person.
Oh, that’s where I have seen him!
I feel like I haven't seen enough people talking about the shot of him watching felix through the window, its one of my favorite shots in the movie.
I was thinking this could've been a fascinating double feature, in an Upstairs/Downstairs kind of way. A parallel movie set with the servants, what they saw and know, and their own lives.
Thank you so much for this! It drives me nuts when people say "he was plotting to get Saltburn the entire time" when he didn't even know about the place when he was fixated on Felix and that it took more than a decade for the father to die, an event that he had absolutely nothing to do with. This was my favorite movie of the year not because it was the best but because it was such a fun ride.
personally, I liked Emerald Fennell's take on class commentary, give the middle class (Oliver) the same wealth and power as the 1% (Catton) and the wheel won't be reinvented or broken, they will just place themselves on top due to this obsession and desire for that lifestyle. Wealth is practically impossible to obtain without being born into that class by birth.
@booperdooper2631 totally agree with you that it isn't a new take, it was fascinating that it flew over people's heads (people thinking that this film was pro-rich etc)
@@chi-chi23oh it 100% isn't pro rich, although I wouldn't say it is that scathing of the rich either. It basically saids "it is a shame they are so oblivious to the real world". The only really irredeemable person is the one that wasn't born into it and got so desperate they ended up murdering almost an entire family. Even then, it is hard to tell what drew him to Felix at the beginning. He invents a masterplan but it still feel very implied that his popularity was enough to hook him.
I made the mistake of watching this movie with my parents during Christmas break, not really knowing what to expect. Let's just say that things got incredibly awkward between us during the bathtub and grave scenes.
I felt my entire self vicariously shrivel up reading this comment lol.
I did too but we all just thought it was kinda funny at that point lol (in terms of the lengths Oliver went to). Tbf though my parents enjoy black humor and "out there" movies so they don't get icked out easily.
But you were good with the "vampire" scene lol?
@@marniekilbourne608Right, also what about the nude dance? Lol
Oh no! 😂
That background wall is giving kitchen that definitely has delicious home made cookies in it. Im having trouble focusing because im so lost in that kitchen vibe.
I've been a fan of Keoghan's since Eternals, where frankly he and Lauren Ridloff deservedly stole the show, and he absolutely made for a compelling protagonist here! It's one of the weirdest movies I've ever seen, and has some visuals that I've only ever seen accomplished in Nia DaCosta's work (and that's a huge compliment to both her and Emerald Fennell).
Also Amanda, if you're looking for stuff to review/discuss, obviously I'm helping build the hype for you to talk more about Eileen like you said you might do here, but I think the live-action One Piece series on Netflix might be something fun to do! It's a great escapist adventure story with a lot of love and care put into it, and an adaptation of an anime/manga that will leave you gobsmacked with how good it is.
I'm in love with this film! I love the mysteries and the world. The characters are so unique and interesting. There's so much gorgeous, creative details. And the cinemathography is so stylish, beautifully shot on 35mm film. The soundtrack is amazing too!
I agree with your take for the original ending, the one we got definitely left me weirdly unsatisfied and annoyed? I didn’t feel like he deserved such a victory. The Saltburn family were bad people but my GOD he was way worse!! BHe deserved an undercut from the butler
See the ending seemed to confirm my thoughts that Oliver wasn't in love with Felix but that he wanted to be Felix. To have what he has and he set out to make sure he did.
I think both notions can be true at the same time. I, for sure, think Oliver was in love, infatuated, and thoroughly obsessed with Felix, which came about from Ollie voyeuristically admiring all qualities in Felix that he could only dream of having.
When his web of lies, manipulation, and deceit were completely unraveled for Felix to see when he took Ollie back to his home, Ollie became more desperate to hold onto Felix than ever before. However, now because Felix has such disdain and disgust for Ollie, Ollie, can never repair Felix’s image of him or their relationship. In his twisted mind, if he can’t have Felix, then no one can, which led him to kill Felix.
Pivoting to having what Felix had came much latter by happenstance to him. It was sheer luck for him that Elspeth still cared about him so much after 15 years, though he would’ve had no trouble manipulating her to if she didn’t. Everything that happened with him gaining favors with the family was him going with the flow. The notion of him setting up a long con from the get go is contrived but was told to us that way because Ollie is an unreliable narrator, and he wanted to make himself look smarter and grander that he actually was.
Ollie’s primary motive was to love and be loved by Felix. His secondary motive of possessing the Family’s possessions are directly tied to the first, as the materialistic things are still of Felix. Attaining the estate is the only remaining legacy of Felix, so it all ties back to his lustful obsession with him. By the end of the movie, he has thoroughly consumed Felix and all the related to him.
Yes I remember a quote form call me by your name about this that I liked a lot: "did I want to be with him or to be him? But maybe this difference is not important in the realm of attraction"
@@ChiliCrisp88 I don't think "It was sheer luck for him that Elspeth still cared about him so much after 15 years", Ollie was there in her kids last days - that's easily something that stayed with her for all those years and that summer probably was something that was always in her mind. I would say that Ollie took educated guess with approaching Elspeth after her husband died with really high probability of succeeding to be back in her life [sorry if grammar is off, it is too late for me to build proper sentences in English :/]
"if you're a little füćked up..." 😂 Yes, Amanda, read us for filth. I liked this film, it was very pretty and cinematic, loved the cast.
I really liked this one a lot! Olivier did what he did out of obsession/love for Felix - I think you can see exact moment he decided to give him bottle as he realize he won't be able to fix their relation.
Keoghan is absolutely one of my favorite actors working today, but I gotta, like, mentally prepare for anything he's in.
Knowing that some moments of this movie would trigger me, I had no intention of watching it. But it's been going kinda viral, so I'm glad I could watch this and still have an idea of what it's about! Thanks!
The beginning of Oliver and Felix’s relationship was super adorable. I was all in for this love story but I also knew it wasn’t going to end well based on what I heard about the film. Like just the way they look at each other. ❤❤ And then Oliver became more and more of a stalker… it was all down hill from there.
The cinematography and acting were incredible in the movie and the plot is ok but many plot points were not fleshed out properly and I feel like the pacing especially when we get to the end could be improved. That being said Jacob Elordi and Barry Keoghan both excelled.
I think it would be cool if the dancing scene but then he went straight into the original ending with the breakfast thing. I do agree it didn’t need a “happy/satisfying” ending tbh
Recently watched Saltburn with my hub (poor dude), not knowing what it was exactly. My God, what a rollercoaster. It was like a visual candy store full of glossy treats...and severed heads. I couldn't tear my eyes away even though my jaw was hanging open the whole time. I both loved and hated it, which isn't a bad thing as it means I will chew on it for years to come. Its another one of those inkblot movies, like Barbie. Everyone will interpret it differently, and just about every interpretation is valid. It goes layers and layers in, and despite it's missteps still leaves your mind reeling.
Found your channel by pure accident thanks to watching another person's Saltburn video. I really enjoyed your take and I'm loving your other stuff. Count me as a new subscriber!
Imagine what Elspeth and Pamela could have been if things worked out better
Saying you hated Wuthering Heights broke my heart 😅😅 it's one of my favourites
I actually want to re-read it because it seems like something I should really enjoy but, for whatever reason, I hated it so much I literally burned the notes when we finished the section in class
Emmeral Fennell has quickly become one of my favs directors. Hopefully we'll see more of her.
Even with Oliver walking around with horns on during the party, i didn't get the Minotaur connection. Thank you! It brings more meaning to the ending dance scene too.
AHHH I WAS LITERALLY WATCHING THIS MOVIE LAST NIGHT 😭😭😭 what a coincidence!! but this movie was very clever and very entertaining! Amanda, I’m glad you covered it when you did! I love your videos
Coincidentally, I've been kind of obsessively listening to Common People the past few months, and loved that it came up as a reference point in this movie. It seems like pretty heavy foreshadowing in retrospect: The final verse says, "Like a dog lying in the corner, they will bite you and never warn you--look out, they'll tear your insides out." Also portrays rich people as naive and oblivious ("but she didn't understand, she just smiled and held my hand"). Also includes a line about how things "will wash off in the bath..."
This is my new favourite movie, Rosamund pike's comedic timing was perfect and Barry Keoghan is the sexiest man on the planet
for me the biggest cringe was oliver's first birthday scene. I figured that was going to happen but still i squirmed. I maybe cackled at tub and funeral. I went first time on my own and 2nd time got friends to go. held my friends' hands during the birthday visit and flashed a giant grin when one of them predicted out loud what was about to happen at funeral lol,
I find it very interesting that for Felix & Venetia, Oli didn’t actually kill them -at least not directly. he presented them both with their vices, and then let them hurt themselves. I thinks that’s how he added another layer of separation, and why he mourned them so much, because technically they could’ve both lived if they didn’t give in to their vices. The same could probably be said for Farley because he also got kicked out of saltburn because of the drug use.
I thought he killed Venetia? As he had what looked like those two blades in his hand?
He just set them by the tub. I think he left them there knowing she would probably use them
the “I’ve never wanted to know anything” line cracked me up, so cool that she helped create it 😂 thank you for giving Rosemund Pike her flowers, she was my favorite part of the movie honestly
It was one of the best acted movies I’ve seen for years. The class war laid bare. Funny, crazy, sad, and nicely twisted. The ending was perfect.
Am I the only one that felt like this is what the last season of "You" was going for???? There is just so much there
Yesss!!! I was waiting for you to cover this one!! It’s a fabulous fever dream!
I know it's not your home but I'm always happy when I get to see the baking wall background, it's so pretty
Watched this movie in bits and pieces online with friends while my wifi was spotty as hell, and I'll probably rewatch to really catch the reflections etc but it was the best to all experience the absurdity together honestly. Loved the scene where it all fell apart for him - going to visit his parents.
Yes! I absolutely love your take on it - I've spoken to so many people who genuinely thought that the end was Oliver having a 'redemption arc' and that it was poorly executed. But the really important thing is how Oliver is a liar, he lies about everything. The 'victory' is not a real victory, that too is a kind of lie he is telling himself. 'I didn't love Felix, I wanted Saltburn, I got it, now I'm happy' - but it's fundamentally fake.
Girl you editing and cinematography is so TV quality that you deserve way more subs. Keep it coming sis
You nailed it on the audience reaction. I was part of the “confused but wildly attracted to Barry’s character” audience. Haha
Random selection of thoughts on the movie. I agree with your comments on the ending. To me it felt triumphant at the end & not a hollow victory. I was waiting for Farley to turn up after the dance and shoot Ollie (or confront him) but the runny eggs from the butler sounds better. Undercutting him no matter what.
Thank you for clarifying what happens to the daughter as that confused me (it was too vague) and given what we saw Oliver do to Elsbeth it would have made sense he could have done Venetia in.
Really found the film engaging and can’t wait for Emerald Fennel’s next film 🎉
Like a snowball going downhill, his plan kept growing in size as each new opportunity presented itself. An apex predator as defined by the scene of Oliver sleeping on his back, belly up after the party, satisfied that he'd moved to the top of the food chain - lounging like the leader of the pride. Anyway, thx for another great breakdown, looking forward to more!
I think Oliver as an unreliable narrator is shown again in the scene with venetia in the bath. he only tells/shows us him placing the blades on the side of the bath (insimuating he provided venetia with the means to do it herself) but when venetia is discovered in the morning we see the bathroom floor absolutely destroyed with blood, leading towards the dressing room door. implying that there was more involved than what we are shown
Amanda you're a master at your craft! The amount of work you do it mindblowing, thank you!
you know, im always slow to watch new things but ive wanted to see this, since promising young woman is one of my favorite movies. was trying to avoid spoilers, but really happy to hear your thoughts on this, i love your takes on her films and actually makes me even more excited to watch. worth spoiling myself a little more than it already was lol ♡
Man I wished they kept the scene with the eggs at the end, would have been so perfect !
Media with a tonne of buzz just isn't complete without an AmandaTheJedi take on it. I actualy find myself watching shows/movies now and thinking to myself "I can't wait until Amanda's video on this."
Loved it! I think we are going to see a lot more projects from Emerald Fennell and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next. A lot of the night scenes reminded me of Promising Young Woman. Fennell does a great job using lighting and colors that her films are like candy for the eyes.
i have been obsessed with barry keoghan since i saw the killing of a sacred deer back in 2018 i believe. i remember i was shocked when i watched him in an interview and heard his irish accent because his american accent was *chefs kiss*. his performance was utterly CHILLING and has stuck with me to this day. that movie in general is a beautiful nightmare and i highly recommend to anyone who hasn’t seen it, and i think most people in this comments section would certainly appreciate it.
but anyway his performance stuck out even next to the legendary colin farrell (and love that they worked together again in banshees of inisherin!) and nicole kidman. he certainly proved himself more than capable of inhabiting extremely dark, complex, creepy, nuanced, and weirdly sexy characters lol. he also proved himself more than worthy of playing the joker, but i was far more excited for this movie when i realized he was the lead and of course HE DID NOT DISAPPOINT. i’m excited to see him get more mainstream recognition and to see that he is being recognized as more of a leading man? i guess is the phrase im looking for lol, y’all know what i mean. and he’s just fine as HELL. yeah yeah jacob elordi is too, but idk there’s something about barry lol. maybe it’s the ocean eyes.
my point is, he’s great and i am excited to see what else he does and how he interprets the joker. i enjoyed this movie and though i wasn’t a fan of the ending, i was willing to overlook that in lieu of the beautiful cinematography and or course the acting and my mans barry 😍🙄 i also enjoyed promising young woman.. i love that she specifically cast men we typically see as “nice guys”/typically play those roles… well really i just love bo burnham lol. it wasn’t perfect and certainly had its flaws but there was also a lot to be admired. let’s just say it showed emerald fennel was a … promising young director… (and woman)… a promising young woman director 😂 yeah i went there 😅 🤦🏻♀️ (why am i like this?) … i’ll see myself out now
edit: also rosamund pike is a QUEEN!!! i distinctly remember seeing gone girl and being like oh shit is that the frosty bond girl from die another day? i just distinctly remembered her in like some ice hotel? igloo? and always dressed like… frosty is the only word that comes to mind.
edit 2: i just googled her in die another day and i’m DYING… today (omg i have to stop)- but her character was LITERALLY named miranda frost 🥶❄️🧊 and was indeed, always dressed very .. frosty! seeing her growth and career plus her effervescent beauty, it’s no surprise she was a bond girl 🔥
This movie took me on a ride I will not forget, and I don't feel... cheated. I feel like these are twisted paths a story could logically take. Absolutely loved this movie.
Oh that explains the billboard.... its a lucky coincidence that I time you randomly took the shot. But with the main character that's the thing throw me off, in my head it's obvious what is going on here and who we are following. And when it shows it. Not surprised. Let's put the tones in and have murders going off, wait. Yes. I know.... creepy unsettling posture is right there!
My friends and I went into this movie with no idea what it was about. We thought it was a proper horror movie and were VERY shocked to find it wasn't. It was kinda revolting & fascinating to watch. The night we saw it, I wasn't sure I liked it. I was like, sick to my stomach lmao. I thought it was very pretty but too much. It stuck with me though, and the more time passed, the more it grew on me. I enjoy how it explores obsessive, (almost impure or false) love; it's a very fun movie. Also, I feel like I missed some of the points Saltburn was trying to make on my first watch, so I want to see it again.
It is interestinv that you said you thought it would be a horror, because, now that I think about it, why not? It follows the same progression. We get introduced to the characters and the bogetman, and one by one, they all get picked off. The victims are oblivious to the fact they are in danger, or they are powerless to fend for themselves. A right, proper horror movie here.
I really liked saltburn initially, but after your video i love it now..
okay i just wanna say, that from my own personal perspective, and my own relationship with my autism....you made me wanna watch this really bad. like, even just your description of this, feels like such a good dramatic depiction of the type of obsession and rejection and heightened emotions i've experienced. especially so, when you go through adolescence undiagnosed, so you just have all these massive feelings, and highs and lows and no understanding of how to work through them. the masking and trying to be what everyone wants, turning the obsession to hatred to cope with rejection--i just gotta find time to watch this 😩 anyway thank you for covering it!!! the discussion around it has been so vague!
Yeah, it was the drain tounging that was where it got “shocking” for me too. I also agree, the tub scene is really the key point that emphasizes this wasn’t really just about the house. The movie really isn’t for everyone. I can see where it would push the envelope too far for some. That they don’t see the necessity for scenes that make your stomach turn. Writing them off as shock value, and I have felt that way about some scenes in some movies. Not this one though. Sure, the wrap-up was a bit messy. Not terrible, and it didn’t ruin the movie, but somehow surprisingly predictable. I like the ending you suggested too. That would have given it a tinge of hollowness, or worry for the viewer for Duncan. I asked about him and Farleigh when the movie finished. Overall, yes, it was such a wild enjoyable ride. I would thoroughly recommend it… to the right kind of viewer.