Directed by Ruben Östlund
Language: English
Year: 2022
Shaun’s Rating: 4.5/5 ★
Before Watching:
Fresh off his 2017 Palme d’Or for The Square, Ruben Östlund is back with yet another shape name in this comedic rebuke of social capital in all its, uh… fluid forms. While Triangle of Sadness might lack some of the subtleties and arthouse calling cards of Östlund’s earlier works, it instead presents a bombastic and intrepid satire that goes for the gut—literally. In case it isn’t clear from the last couple of puns, the film features a profuse amount of vomit and other humorous humors, so perhaps don’t venture into a screening without your sea legs.
The film follows supermodels Carl (Harris Dickinson) and Yaya (Charlbi Dean) as they navigate uncertain waters in their relationship, with Yaya’s social media fame eventually scoring them passage on a luxury cruise. The ship’s other inhabitants, from the booze-soaked skipper (Woody Harrelson) to a menagerie of arms dealers and Russian oligarchs, round out the table for an unforgettable Captain’s Dinner. Östlund’s juxtaposition of the runway stars and the yacht’s guests who can actually afford their own fare sets up the dominos for an evisceration of influencer culture and privilege in its many forms. Even the snobs at Cannes were cackling halfway through the screening I attended, though it’s unclear whether they were more tickled by the esoteric social commentary or merely the aforementioned vomit gags.
Triangle’s brilliance is not simply its ability to mix low-brow and high-brow humor (including a detailed dialogue on communism versus capitalism), but also its success in stressing which sources of power persist when the Instagram followers and Rolex watches are stripped away. Östlund has always had a particular proclivity towards dissecting the quotidian frustrations plaguing artists, and our human limitations that prove inescapable even when least convenient. His latest work is no exception—like cellphones ringing at gallery dialogues in The Square, flies (or worse, crew members) obscure the screen as Carl photographs Yaya lounging on the pool deck, and visceral nausea ruins even the most polished of tasting menus.
Mishaps, mayhem, and the odd glass of champagne punctuate this unconventional cruise, propped up by top-notch acting and technically stunning cinematography. Östlund spins the camera with panache, bringing the audience along for lovers quarrels and seasickness alike. The absurdity and intentionally provocative level of disgust can certainly be a little much for a refined palette, but I maintain that it’s all part of the film’s artistry. I certainly won’t purport that this is the best Palme d’Or to date, but Triangle undeniably sets sail on its own course.
Triangle of Sadness premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival where it won the Palme d’Or, and is now available at select theaters worldwide. Sadly, this was Charlbi Dean’s last leading role before her untimely death in August 2022.
After Watching:
Östlund’s prolific use of sound softens the edges of rough scenes and cuts, often blurring the line between diegetic and non-diegetic. In the first sequence of model interviews and runway shenanigans, the music is ambiguously both in the world on screen and added just for the audience. In the last scene, the resort’s techno beats shift from Yaya and Abigail’s ears to the soundtrack of Carl’s frantic sprint. Östlund’s shots have a rhythm both inside and outside this playlist, including the hard rock blaring through the mal de mer.
Triangle also gives us a masterclass in poetic justice. Abigail rises from toilet cleaner to queen of the island, while the deck hand that Carl gets fired from the cruise actually escapes the ship’s downfall. And where do Clementine and Winston wind up after getting a taste of their own democracy-upholding medicine? Certainly not in den Wolken.
As an endnote, Dimitry was really serving a Karl Marx look on that island.