Strong Buzz for Emerald Fennell’s ‘Saltburn’ as Fall Premiere Looms

Just to elaborate on “Saltburn,” Emerald Fennell’s upcoming thriller starring Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Ewan Mitchell and Rosamund Pike. If you remember, it test-screened in February to wildly positive reactions.

Now I’m hearing that TIFF, Telluride and Venice are fighting it out for the world premiere of Fennell’s film. Who will win the “Saltburn” stakes? My money is on Venice. It probably will world premiere on the Lido.

Yesterday, Pike was interviewed by The Guardian and tried to keep mum about the film, which will likely explode on the festival circuit this fall:

Not much [I can tell you], I’m afraid. It’s all going to be under wraps until it’s not. But it’s brilliantly written, provocative cinema. Funny, dark and full of surprises.

Fennell directed the Sundance sensation, “Promising Young Woman,” in 2020. She went on to win a Best Original Screenplay Oscar, but was also nominated for Best Picture and Best Director. Obviously, in many circles, her follow-up comes with high expectations.

Those expectations seem to have been met. Barry Keoghan carries the movie and is said to be flat-out amazing. The movie fully showcases his insane commitment as an actor. “He will shock you,” says a person who attended the screening.

Everyone else is supporting, including Rosamund Pike. Carey Mulligan only has a few scenes, but makes a very strong impact with the limited time that she does have on-screen. Pike is said to have the best lines.

The film, which is set in the early aughts, is being described as a Thriller/Drama. A significant amount of the plot takes place in college. The movie starts off as the school year is beginning during the late summer.

Set in the college town of Saltburn, that’s where we’re introduced to parents and other characters in the film. “Saltburn” is revolve’s around Keoghan’s obsession with Elordi’s character:

I don’t know how audiences will embrace this because there’s a lot of nudity and explicit scenes that will get them talking […] I hope these scenes don’t undermine other aspects of the film. In my opinion this movie is drastically better than “Promising Young Woman,” so if that got nominated for best picture, best editing, best screenplay, it would be a shame if this didn’t. However, Emerald is 2/2 for controversial endings. Not everyone will be happy, I fear.

Ewan Mitchell plays a math genius student, Koeghan’s character befriends him and they hit it off, both loners and unpopular with the “it” crowd.

Much like in “Promising Young Woman,” the cinematography and visuals “are so good you can eat it”. The film has similar vibes to “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” according to a person I spoke to.

Hopefully it’s a little more subtle than “Promising Young Woman,” which was very well-directed but hammered you with its message. I still liked it for what it was: a highly entertaining dark comedy.

Keoghan already has an Oscar nomination to his name. I’ve been waiting for his breakthrough lead role, and this might be it. He’s already shown great promise in ‘Banshees,’ “American Animals,” and “The Killing of a Sacred Deer.”