'Saltburn': Why Barry Keoghan-Rosamund Pike starrer is making noise
Director-producer-writer Emerald Fennell's (Promising Young Woman) upcoming film Saltburn had its world premiere at the ongoing Telluride Film Festival recently. It is co-produced by Margot Robbie. Starring Rosamund Pike, Barry Keoghan, Richard E Grant, and Jacob Elordi, Saltburn is a psychological thriller that is being compared to The Talented Mr. Ripley in the early critics' reviews. Here's everything to know about the film.
Why does this story matter?
Fennell shot to acclaim with her black crime comedy thriller film Promising Young Woman (2020), which starred Carey Mulligan in the lead role, alongside Alison Brie, Jennifer Coolidge, and Bo Burnham. It was her feature film directorial debut and was nominated in five categories at the 93rd Academy Awards, eventually clinching the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. It is now streaming on Netflix.
Watched the teaser trailer yet?
The teaser trailer of the film—released by Amazon Studios on Thursday—gives a sneak peek into the plot. The story will follow two college students, Oliver Quick (Keoghan) and Felix Catton (Elordi). When Quick confides in Catton about his unfavorable home situation, Catton invites him to spend a few days at his sprawling, rich family estate called Saltburn, which is the cynosure of the story.
Early reviews have mostly heaped praises on the film
The Hollywood Reporter wrote in its review, "Saltburn is juicy stuff, a revenge thriller that's wickedly funny and wildly enjoyable. It is at its best when Pike and Grant are spouting witticisms and drolly tone-deaf reaffirmations of their characters' obscene privilege." IndieWire opined, "Elordi is evidence of Fennell's gift for casting, which she deploys with a savage wit that underlines her dark comic instincts."
Here's why Fennell chose the two leads
Speaking about her casting decisions, Fennell told Variety that Elordi's performance was "unbelievably potent," "relaxed," and "real." She has also called Keoghan a "once-in-a-lifetime performer." "There's no equivalent. He's just so compelling. He's got a kind of sex appeal and a vulnerability and a physical presence and a sort of darkness, or he can at least communicate these things in a very rare way."
It will also open the BFI Film Festival
Saltburn will also open the upcoming BFI London Film Festival on October 4, where it will be screened at The Royal Festival Hall, London. Kristy Matheson, the festival director, earlier lauded the film as "an expertly crafted and exhilarating thrill ride." Saltburn will be limitedly released in American theaters on November 24, before properly expanding from December 1 onwards.
