Saltburn

Oliver Quick, a bright but unsure student at Oxford, is invited into the orbit of Felix Catton, a magnetic, privileged peer. Felix invites him to Saltburn, his eccentric family estate, for a summer that promises freedom and new status. The estate hums with wealth, wit, and quiet menace as Oliver becomes entangled in the Catton's glittering circle. Dinners, games, and late night conversations reveal cracks in the family's polished surface and push Oliver toward temptations he never anticipated. As the days lengthen, the line between admiration and danger grows thinner, and a seemingly idyllic escape turns increasingly unsettling. What starts as a sunny diversion becomes a test of nerve and judgment.

Directed by Emerald Fennell, Saltburn is her ongoing take on high class entanglements, built from an original screenplay rather than adaptation. The film arrived in theaters in 2023 with a sharp couture sensibility and performances from Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, and Rosamund Pike.

Critics have pitched Saltburn as a brisk, darkly funny drama that blends sharp satire with creeping tension. It explores privilege and power through Oliver's eager naivete and Felix's magnetic ruthlessness, while Rosamund Pike and the Catton family provide a glamorous but chilling anchor. The film's pacing, visual wit, and unsettling undercurries invite conversations about how wealth shapes desire, loyalty, and fear.

Saltburn has sparked conversations about class and spectacle, with its sunlit estate setting becoming a talking point for audiences and critics. The film's glossy visuals and charged performances prompted social media chatter about power dynamics and the seductive danger of privilege. Its marriage of elegance and menace has made it a reference point in discussions about modern screen class politics.

Awards: The film earned nominations at several major awards, highlighting Emerald Fennell's screenplay and the standout performances. From critics circles to formal ceremonies, Saltburn's reception underscored its provocative blend of glamour and danger.