Why Saltburn is a must-watch for fans of Promising Young Woman

Saltburn

Credit: Amazon Studios

Under Her Eye


Why Saltburn is a must-watch for fans of Promising Young Woman

By Kayleigh Dray

2 years ago

2 min read

Emerald Fennell’s much-anticipated second feature film, Saltburn, is finally upon us, and thank goodness…


A best picture nominee at the 2021 Oscars, Promising Young Woman was an incendiary and unforgettable tale of fury, all wrapped up in a bubblegum-pink bow.

Now, Emerald Fennell, the creative force behind that iconic piece of cinema, is set to grace the world with another starry film in Saltburn.

And, considering it’s been dubbed a ‘beautifully wicked tale of privilege and desire’, it sounds like it’s guaranteed to tick every single box going.

Watch the trailer for Saltburn below:

Yup, we can see why critics are hailing this one as Fennell’s take on The Talented Mr. Ripley.

Here’s what you need to know, then, about Saltburn.

What is the plot of Saltburn?

A tale of excess and obsession, and set smack-bang in the middle of the English countryside at high summer, Saltburn shines its spotlight on Oliver Quick, a student struggling to find his place at Oxford University. Struggling, that is, until he finds himself drawn into the world of the charming and aristocratic Felix Catton.

When Felix invites Oliver to his eccentric family’s sprawling estate for the summer, resulting in… well, in something truly unforgettable. And no, we don’t just mean the Gatsby-esque party that’s evident in the trailer and first-look images.

Who stars in Saltburn?

Jacob Elordi and Barry Keoghan take the lead in this one, but they’re joined by a stellar cast including Richard E Grant, Rosamund Pike, Archie Madekwe, Alison Oliver and Promising Young Woman’s lead, Carey Mulligan.

Saltburn

Credit: Amazon Studios

Be still our beating hearts, quite frankly.

What are people saying about Saltburn?

Describing the film as part of the “British country house subgenre”, Fennell tells Town & Country that “there’s something so enduring and seductive” about her new thriller. 

“The containment, the unattainable beauty, the impossibly opaque rules, the sense of watching and being watched, the fear of being discovered as an interloper – all make a country house such a rich and gothic place to tell a story,” she says.

In a separate interview with Vanity Fair, Fennell adds that she doesn’t shy away from controversial themes, or visceral, sometimes erotic moments that are sure to stick with audiences. 

“We are all in this very strange world now, I think, of wanting. We’re just in a perpetual state of desire and need and want,” she says. “Our relationship with the things that we want when we look on Instagram or we look at clothes, at food, whatever it is: ‘I both want it and I’m disgusted with myself for wanting it’… [and] that is literally the kind of gothic tradition, isn’t it? Take Count Dracula: the reason Count Dracula is so frightening is all the women in the book want to fuck him. 

“That’s all of our relationship with the things that we want: they have to be kind of a bit scary for them to be interesting.”

When can we watch Saltburn?

Saltburn will be released in cinemas on Friday 17 November before arriving on Prime Video at a later date. 

Is anyone else counting down the days?

Images: Amazon Studios

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