There’s been no shortage of “eat the rich” films lately. In fact, it might be Hollywood’s favorite new genre.
From the Oscar-winning “Parasite” to the “Knives Out” franchise and HBO’s smash hit “White Lotus” — all mock narcissistic affluence and give the noble downtrodden their cosmic retribution. Yet they always come with a preaching lack of self-awareness. They aren’t really satires, but attempts by Hollywood elites to claim a moral high ground. These writers, directors, and actors view themselves as the little guy, the sensitive artist. But they are the characters they mean to crucify.
Emerald Fennel’s “Saltburn” — released over Thanksgiving — provides a refreshing take on an unbearably derivative genre. Instead of eating the rich, Fennel told Polygon the film wants to “lick the rich, suck the rich, and then bite the rich, and then swallow…
