MOVIE REVIEW: SALTBURN

 

A student is invited to an eccentric classmate's estate for an exciting summer.

Director: Emerald Fennell

Cast: Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant, Alison Oliver, Archie Madekwe

Release Date: November 17, 2023

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Thriller

Rated R for strong sexual content, graphic nudity, language throughout, some disturbing violent content, and drug use.

Runtime: 2h 7m

Emerald Fennell sophomore feature, Saltburn, is a deliberately paced puzzle box that reveals itself methodically as it attempts to shock and surprise with varying degrees of effect.  Fennell does go for something far more visually striking and impactful here than her first film which gives the proceedings the kind of flair that's hard to ignore. The use of a 1.33:1 aspect ratio adds to the effect by giving the film a voyeuristic look and feel throughout. This fly on the wall approach gives everything a sinister undertone even as the script veers into dark comedy more times than not as the depravity unveils itself.  Its easy to see similarities to The Talented Mr. Ripley in terms of story and setting but there's also the anarchist spirit of Roger Avery's twisted tale of entitlement from The Rules of Attraction.  At the center of it all is a chameleon like performance from Barry Keoghan who runs the gamut of emotions and presence as the film goes along.  Its fascinating turn that allows him to work through subtly before revealing bigger emotional shifts.  Jacob Elordi is a solid counter to Keoghan's more nebulous persona.  Elordi comes across as deceptively earnest and well meaning for the better part of the film's runtime.  Strong supporting turns from Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant, Alison Oliver and Archie Madekwe give the film the kind of depth that makes the film easier to enjoy even as it moves at a very specific pace.  Pike and Grant in particular make the most of their limited screen time by delivering devilishly fun performances as the parents.  There is plenty to unpack from the film's final act which takes a series of big swings with some working better than others.  There's a solid sense in some of these latter sequences that Fennell is trying to shock the audience which is fine but there's a lesson to be learned about less being more.  Issues aside, Saltburn is a solid follow up to Promising Young Women even if its not as refined or impactful as it should be.

B

MOVIE REVIEW: PRISCILLA

 

When teenager Priscilla Beaulieu meets Elvis Presley at a party, the man who's already a meteoric rock 'n' roll superstar becomes someone entirely unexpected in private moments: a thrilling crush, an ally in loneliness, and a gentle best friend.

Director: Sofia Coppola

Cast: Cailee Spaeny, Jacob Elordi, Dagmara Domińczyk, Ari Cohen, Tim Post, Rodrigo Fernandez-Stoll, Luke Humphrey, Dan Beirne

Release Date: September 4, 2023

Genre: Biography, Drama, Music

Rated R for drug use and some language.

Runtime: 1h 53m

Sofia Coppola's Priscilla is a visually striking film that establishes a consistent mood throughout but its frustratingly distance from its central character.  Coppola's film is meticulously constructed from start to finish and she sets up dreamlike moments that will linger long after the movie is over.  She creates a palpable sense of innocent infatuation that overcomes Priscilla as she falls hopelessly in love with Elvis.  You get the sense of naivety that comes with her youth, something the film makes sure to mention on multiple occasions, as she goes through a whirlwind romance with the superstar.  Once the action moves to Graceland, Coppola subtlety begins to give us glimpses of isolation and loneliness Priscilla experiences as she becomes Elvis's sort of kind of main squeeze.  There are a variety of long shots that drive home the relationship's power structure by placing the 5'1" Cailee Spaeny next to Jacob Elordi's towering 6′ 5″ frame.  Its a nuanced approach that works well in the film's favor and manages to make up for some of the film's shortcomings.  Cailee Spaeny delivers solid work in the central role especially in the first half as she gives the character a believable sense of youth and naiveite.  Sadly, the character inner thoughts and motivations are kept at arms length which makes it hard to connect to her on an emotional level.  She's a cypher for the majority of the film even as we're presented with some of the uglier, less glamourous aspects of the relationship.  The audience never gets a real understanding of what makes her tick or experience her emotional growth until it just happens in the film's final act which feels like a wasted opportunity.  Jacob Elordi's Elvis is less glossy than Austin Butler's turn for good reason as we get a sense of the subtle manipulation, overbearing and controlling nature at play.  Its odd but the film offers a better window into his psyche more so than we do into Priscilla's which seems like a strange choice.  There's plenty of fertile ground that's left unused which is a shame but Priscilla makes for an excellent juxtaposition in terms of style and subject matter vs Baz Luhrmann's Elvis.

B+