'Triangle of Sadness' Review: Robert Ostlund's satirical take on super-rich is brutal and wildly entertaining
Ruben Ostlund is one of the greatest filmmakers of this generation and is a double Palme d'Or winner. So, everyone got excited when he announced that he would be coming out with a new movie in 2022. Titled 'Triangle of Sadness', the movie primarily focuses on Carl (Harris Dickinson) and his modeling career. However, in the first ten minutes, we realize that this film is not just about one man, but an entire community that will collapse if they are told to do everything on their own. Yes, we are talking about rich people here.
'Triangle of Sadness' follows the relationship of Carl and Yaya (Charlbi Dean), who are trying to deal with the reality and boundaries of their relationship. The couple gets invited on a super-yacht for a well-earned break and sees them traveling with some of the richest people on the planet. Their relationship is not normal because Yaya believes that her being in a relationship with Carl will be good for business and all he does during the holiday is take her photos. The staff of the super yacht believes in saying "yes" to everything that the "rich people" say. Even if they ask for a hand grenade, the staff's answer will be "yes sir or ma'am". However, things turn upside down when a storm hits the yacht and makes things worse for everyone.
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The movie is divided into three parts. The first one talks about Carl and Yaya's relationship, while the second part is all about their adventures on the yacht. Meanwhile, the third and the most interesting part is about when a tragedy strikes the yacht and everyone is forced to work together to survive. It doesn't matter if you are rich or you are poor, you have to hold each other's hands and help. This is when things get interesting, because this part sees the oppressed becoming the captain of the sinking ship.
In between all the social commentary about rich people and their arrogance, viewers might find themselves in a difficult spot when the storm hits the yacht, which results in people vomiting all around the luxury vehicle. Ostlund doesn't shy away from showing those gross moments and those scenes are the reason why people watching the movie at the London Film Festival were given 'Triangle of Sadness' "sick bags" before entering the theatre. To be honest, that grossness was pretty important to the story, but it was impossible to see that for such a long time. But it's really hard not to watch them because the dialogues in the background are so well-written that you want to keep looking at what's happening on the screen. The writing is undoubtedly a strong aspect of this movie and even though it lacks the sharpness of Ostlund's earlier works, 'Triangle of Sadness' still manages to make people think about the society they live in by constantly changing the power dynamics.
The entire cast - Charlbi Dean (Yaya), Harris Dickinson (Carl), Dolly de Leon (Abigail), Zlatko Buric (Dimitry), Vicki Berlin (Paula), and Woody Harrelson (Captain Thomas Smith) - is outstanding, especially Harrelson. Even though his role is small, he gives such a solid performance that he instantly becomes a fan-favorite.
The movie changes its gear in the final act, but it never loses its grip on the viewers and ends in the most scintillating way.
'Triangle of Sadness' is a brutal and brilliant satire on the super-rich.
