Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Saltburn and discussion of graphic contentSaltburn is easily one of 2023’s most provocative releases, thanks largely to its decision to take one of the decade’s best acting trends to its natural conclusion. Emerald Fennel’s scandalous satire sees Barry Keoghan and Jacob Elordi star as friends from wildly different backgrounds who find each other at university. As Elordi’s aristocratic Felix takes Keoghan’s dowdy Oliver under his wing and invites him to stay at his palatial family estate, the two worlds collide with dramatic results. Yet it is only thanks to one particular casting decision that the results become as explosive as they do.
Despite appearing to be an homage to the likes of Brideshead Revisited, Fennel’s movie soon distinguishes itself with its subversive tone and spectacularly graphic dramatic set pieces. Notorious highlights, many of which have already become immortalized on the internet, include Oliver having sex with a freshly dug grave, sucking Felix’s bathwater out of a plug, and dancing naked around the house during Saltburn‘s shocking ending. All of these moments are brought to life by Barry Keoghan’s literally bare-all portrayal. However, while this performance in isolation is certainly arresting, it’s actually even more exciting in full context.
Saltburn Continues The Trend Of Barry Keoghan Playing Creepy, Weird Characters
Since his debut in 2011, Barry Keoghan has carved out a niche playing some of the most eccentric and outright strange characters in Hollywood. While he has taken on his share of conventional roles, his performances in movies such as The Killing of a Sacred Deer, American Animals, The Banshees of Inisherin, and The Green Knight have marked him as uniquely capable of giving creepy characters an emotional core and believability that prevents them from becoming stereotypical villains. With his tortured, multifaceted portrayal of Oliver at its center, Saltburn perhaps represents the zenith of this exciting acting trend.
Where Was Saltburn Filmed? 2023 Thriller’s Filming Locations Explained
Writer and director Emerald Fennell’s 2023 black comedy-meets-psychological thriller has viewers wondering where, exactly, Saltburn was filmed.
Such is Keoghan’s skill at taking on these complicated characters that some of the biggest properties in Hollywood have entrusted him with their prized possessions. Marvel’s Eternals cast him as Druig, one of superhero team’s more diabolical members. DC went one step further, turning Keoghan into the iconic Joker opposite Robert Pattinson’s Batman. Keoghan’s unhinged yet controlled Saltburn performance proves that these decisions were not only justified, but that the actor is uniquely placed to imbue these characters with a beguiling weirdness that can enhance whole franchises. It may only be one performance, but Barry Keoghan’s Saltburn role confirms why he is one of the industry’s most exciting actors.
Saltburn Is One Of Barry Keoghan’s Best Performances Yet
It’s one thing to play weird characters, but another thing entirely to make them both believable and compelling. In Saltburn, Keoghan does this exceptionally well. Given all the weird things he has to do on screen, Oliver is actually remarkably understated and composed for much of the movie’s runtime. This requires Keoghan to be subtle in his strangeness – not easy when slurping old bathwater. It’s not until the end of the movie, when he memorably dances naked to Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s “Murder on the Dancefloor”, that he can fully drop the mask and embrace his authentic self. Managing to maintain so many aspects of such a complicated character while being the main focus of a film certainly isn’t easy. Despite issues with Saltburn‘s plot and script, one thing that can’t be denied is the skill on display in Keoghan’s performance.
Saltburn
Written and directed by Emerald Fennell, Saltburn is a 2023 comedy-thriller film. When Oxford student Oliver Quick is invited to his friend Felix’s family’s wealthy estate, Saltburn, for a summer vacation, he is drawn into the world of eccentric characters and increasingly chaotic events as his obsession with Felix comes to a head.
- Release Date
- November 17, 2023
- Director
- Emerald Fennell
- Cast
- Barry Keoghan , Jacob Elordi , Rosamund Pike , Richard E. Grant , Alison Oliver , Archie Madekwe , Carey Mulligan
- Rating
- R
- Runtime
- 131 Minutes
- Genres
- Comedy , Thriller
- Writers
- Emerald Fennell
