Emma Bodnar '25
If you’ve flipped through TikTok, scrolled through Instagram, or logged into Amazon Prime, you’ve likely seen at least a brief mention of Emerald Fennell’s newest film, Saltburn. Maybe you were smart enough not to get too curious and leave it at that, but chances are you dug deeper - and chances are you regretted it.
Maybe, though, you didn’t. Maybe you saw past the frankly disturbing exterior, the unsettling improvisation by Barry Keoghan, and enjoyed Fennell’s controversial creation.
Essentially, Saltburn follows the same general outline as F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, instead with a much more ambitious protagonist (for better or worse). Without getting into the nitty-gritty of it, the film is the story of an Oxford student named Oliver Quick who befriends the wealthy, popular Felix Catton and snags an invitation to spend the summer at his family’s estate. Felix’s family begins to suffer from a series of rather horrific events throughout the film - events I couldn’t bear to spoil - and the twist ending is surprising and much darker than anticipated. On the surface, it is the story of friendship, of a sweet favor between friends where a rich boy gives his underprivileged classmate a chance at experiencing aristocratic life. The reality, however, is much more twisted, with underlying motives and characters that are far more complicated than they seem.
I’m not reviewing the film, per se - I don’t feel necessarily obligated to give my two cents on the widely disputed storyline and off-the-cuff scenes by Keoghan that can only be described as “creative” - but rather to discuss why the film has gained so much traction. Audiences are pulled towards something new, something different - even if that something is wildly troubling. The reality is that any publicity is good publicity, and if people are talking about a movie, chances are others will watch it, too. Fennell intelligently plays off of a natural, deep human tendency, one no individual can fight - curiosity. Saltburn is a movie that includes plot points that are troubling at best - and nauseating at worst - and when the media goes on a rampage about their reactions, it draws in even more viewers.
aThe only thing I can prescribe for curiosity is to quench it. You’ve probably heard that ever-popular saying, “curiosity killed the cat” - however, the second part, “...but satisfaction brought it back,” is the true answer to that human inclination. Truthfully, Saltburn has gained so much viewership because it is exciting - depending on your definition of the term - and even staunch opposers can’t argue with its ability to use the shock factor as a pivotal point of popularity. Even if Saltburn is like watching a car crash in HD, it’s one you can’t look away from - but I suppose you’ll have to decide that for yourself.
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