- Director: Emerald Fennell
- Year: 2023
Overview
Oliver Quick is a middle-class student struggling to find his footing at Oxford University. He doesn't fit in with the wealthy elite, but he manages to become friends with Felix Catton, a popular and aristocratic student. Felix invites Oliver to spend the summer at Saltburn, his family's massive country estate. At the estate, Oliver meets Felix's eccentric family, including his parents and sister. Oliver slowly embeds himself into the family's daily routines and emotional lives. What starts as a desperate search for belonging soon turns into a calculated campaign as Oliver manipulates the family to take control of their fortune.
Takeaways
The Catton family lives in their own wealthy bubble, completely out of touch with reality and easy prey for someone who knows how to manipulate them. Oliver plays on their guilt and vanity, making himself indispensable to everyone in the house. While Saltburn looks grand and untouchable, the family's relationships are actually incredibly fragile. Oliver tells different lies to each family member, keeping them from talking to each other and figuring out his game. By slowly and cruelly destroying the family one by one, he manages to inherit the entire estate. It shows how easily a wealthy, coddled family can be dismantled by a cold, calculating outsider.