The Controversial Reception of Saltburn: Jacob Elordi's Perspective

Jacob Elordi on Saltburn's Twisted Moments

Saltburn star Jacob Elordi shares his thoughts on the strong reactions to the film's most shocking scene. Serving as writer/director Emerald Fennell's follow-up to Promising Young Woman, Saltburn stars Elordi as Felix, who invites fellow student Oliver, played by Barry Keoghan, to his family's estate for the summer. The film, which has proven somewhat divisive, includes one particularly gross scene depicting Oliver drinking Felix's bathwater after the latter character ejaculates into it.

Venetia is in the bathtub and holding Oliver's neck, as their faces are inches apart in Saltburn.

During a recent interview with Stream Wars, Elordi comments on the strong reactions to Saltburn's twisted moments, including the bathtub scene. Although the actor doesn't touch on the more negative reactions to the film, he celebrates the fact that it's generated such passionate responses.

'I haven't really heard too many because I try to hide away from it. But I went to a screening of the picture in Brisbane when it sort of first played and it was unbelievable because everybody was engaged and sort of gasping at the screen and yelling at the screen and everything like that. And I haven't been in a movie like that in a really, really long time. So, I haven't heard any of the really—I mean, I hope there's no terrible stories, but yeah.'

'I was just really excited when I read that scene, because you don't really see things like that in sort of mainstream movies a lot of the time, so it's just great that [Emerald Fennell] was allowed to kind of push those boundaries and expose people like that.'

How Has Saltburn Been Received?

Generally speaking, the Saltburn critics' reviews have been mostly positive. The film currently holds a respectable 71% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with an audience score actually exceeding that at 79%. These scores still, however, fall short of those for Promising Young Woman, which not only scored 90% and 87% with critics and audiences, respectively, but was also nominated for five Oscars, ultimately taking home the award for Best Original Screenplay.

Saltburn made only $19.4 million at the box office during its theatrical run. Commercial performance, however, isn't a strong indication of audience reception since the movie hit Prime Video only two weeks after its theatrical release.

Despite the generally positive reviews, however, there's no question that Saltburn is not a movie for everybody. Shocking scenes like the bathwater-slurp and another involving a grave site may understandably prove too graphic for some viewers. Even though the Saltburn cast comprises a group of immensely talented actors and Fennell paints with a bold, compelling brush stylistically, there have been other criticisms of the film as well.

A key point of contention seems to be just what the film is actually about, and how much substance lies beneath the impressive production design, raunchiness, and flair. Some reviews question why Saltburn is set in 2006 when it has almost no bearing on the story, while others argue that the movie seems to have nothing to say about class or the perversion of wealth, two themes it seems interested in exploring. While Saltburn has proven divisive, it seems like Elordi, for his part, is thrilled that the film is provoking a response from people.

The Impact of Saltburn's Reception

The response to Saltburn has sparked discussions about the nature of audience reception and the boundaries of mainstream cinema. Jacob Elordi's excitement over the passionate responses to the film's shocking scenes reflects the evolving landscape of cinema and the willingness of filmmakers to push boundaries in storytelling.

While some may find the graphic content of Saltburn off-putting, it's clear that the film has succeeded in igniting conversations about the role of provocative storytelling in contemporary cinema. Whether it's the divisive nature of the film or the bold choices made by the filmmakers, Saltburn has certainly made an impact on the film industry.