Saltburn drops plenty of clues and hints leading toward the movie’s big twist ending, but proof that Oliver was lying about his family comes surprisingly early in the story. Saltburn is the very definition of a movie that demands to be watched twice. After Saltburn‘s ending reveals that Barry Keoghan’s Oliver Quick orchestrated events to seize the Catton family’s fortune, viewing the movie a second time exposes how numerous moments secretly foreshadow his sinister intentions. One of Oliver’s biggest lies is inventing a tragic and abusive childhood where his drug-addicted mother constantly needed looking after.
Lying to Felix and the Cattons, Oliver paints a picture of a strained relationship between himself and his mother. He solemnly remarks on how his family home never truly felt like “home,” and purports to endure a distant relationship with his parents. This is completely untrue, of course – the Quicks are the epitome of normal, loving, middle-class parents. This twist is Saltburn‘s first true confirmation that Oliver is not being truthful, but his lies are actually evident much earlier in the movie.
Saltburn Cast & Character Guide
Since Saltburn’s compelling drama is primarily driven by its well-written character beats, one cannot help but wonder who plays whom in the movie.
Saltburn’s Phone Call Scene Gave Away That Oliver Was Lying About His Parents
Early in Saltburn, Oliver receives a phone call from his mother. The audience sees him answer it, but the call itself happens offscreen. Oliver next appears before Felix claiming his father has just died – another fantastical lie in his ever-growing web. While the truth isn’t properly unveiled until the later sequence set in Prescot, the phone call itself proves Oliver is tricking Felix. When Keoghan’s character picks up the ringing phone, he replies with a jaunty, almost sing-song, “Hi, Mum.” If Oliver’s relationship with his mother was anything close to the car crash he described to Felix, he would be answering a call from her with trepidation, concern, and anxiety.
At the very least, Oliver would sound surprised at his mother calling for a chat. Instead, he sounds like any other university student picking up the phone when a parent calls to check how their child is getting on. It’s the sound of a son answering a very regular call from his very regular mother, which eventually proves to be the case. If Oliver’s mother was a drug addict that he never felt close to, he would be more likely to answer the phone with, “Mum?” “Mum, are you okay?” or ignore the call completely.
This kind of subtle clue is typical of how Saltburn gently gives the impression something is amiss without giving the game away completely. The way Oliver answers his mother’s phone call clearly doesn’t align with the story he gives to Felix. Because the scene is so quick and immediately followed up by a big emotional moment between Oliver and Felix, however, the viewer is forced to put any nagging subconscious doubts about the phone call not making sense to one side.
Why Oliver Really Lied About His Parents In Saltburn
Oliver pretending to be from a poor background and concocting a story about his mother being a drug addict represents a crucial step in his masterplan. On a basic level, this is what compels Felix to offer his new friend the chance to stay at Saltburn instead of returning home to Prescot. Without that, Oliver’s plan would have failed before it even properly began.
Nevertheless, there is a deeper reason behind the fictitious background Oliver weaves for himself. By claiming not to have a close family of his own, Oliver creates a vacuum that the Cattons are only too happy to fill. A big part of the reason Felix’s family members, Rosamund Pike’s Elspeth in particular, welcome Oliver with open arms is that they view him as a helpless, downtrodden boy in need of a loving, stable family. They might not have dropped their guard so much if Oliver had been transparent about his normal childhood, his sister, his kind parents, and his distinctly middle-class home.
Digging deeper into Saltburn‘s psychology, Oliver is taking advantage of the class divide between himself and the Cattons. Just as Felix has his “toys” in Saltburn, Elspeth is trying to get Pamela back on her feet when Oliver first arrives at the estate. The Cattons take pity on those they view as beneath them in the social pecking order because this affords them a sense of power and superiority – something Farleigh’s story highlights beyond all doubt. Oliver twists this to his advantage by masquerading as the perfect vulnerable, in-need candidate for the Cattons’ affections, then striking as they continuously misjudge him.
Saltburn
- Release Date
- November 17, 2023
- Director
- Emerald Fennell
- Cast
- Barry Keoghan , Jacob Elordi , Rosamund Pike , Richard E. Grant , Alison Oliver , Archie Madekwe , Carey Mulligan
- Runtime
- 131 Minutes
