Triangle of Sadness (2022)

triangle of sadness poster 2022 movie
9.0 Overall Score
Story: 9/10
Acting: 9/10
Visuals: 9/10

Another great class movie

Takes a bit to get going

Movie Info

Movie Name:  Triangle of Sadness

Studio:  Imperative Entertainment/Plattform Produktion/Film i Väst

Genre(s):  Drama/Comedy

Release Date(s):  May 21, 2022 (Cannes)/October 7, 2022 (US)

MPAA Rating:  R

triangle of sadness carl yaya charlbi dean harris dickinson

Seems like strong, non-problematic relationship that can weather anything…

Upon a luxury yacht for the ultra-rich, influencers and models Carl (Harris Dickinson) and Yaya (Charlbi Dean) are finding their relationship is changing.  When the yacht suffers multiple disasters and sinks, the survivors find themselves trapped on an island…and all the rules of society are over turned as money loses meaning and survival becomes the only valued commodity.

Written and directed by Ruben Östlund, Triangle of Sadness is a social dark comedy.  The film won Palme d’Or and was met with both praise and controversy.  The film received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay, and the Criterion Collection released a version of the film (Criterion #1178).

The trailers and promotions for Triangle of Sadness were wild…and with a movie that is so divisive, I almost always favor it.  Triangle of Sadness is a good movie in the lines of Parasite and The Menu.

triangle of sadness vomiting scene

Yacht life rocks!

The movie is about power, control, class, and sex.  It takes a bit to get going, but the beginning is important to setting up the relationship between Yaya and Carl.  On the boat the rich have the power, but on the island, the power belongs to Abigail who can survive.  It quickly devolves to tribalism and everyone is forced to fight for survival.  Abigail gains the power and everyone has to cater to her.  The fact that the power struggle doesn’t last long shows what is really important…but sex of course ruins it all.

The cast is good.  The movie starts out primarily being about Harris Dickinson and Charlbi Dean.  Dean tragically died before the release of the film and it is a shame because she gives a great performance and shows a lot of skill as an actor.  Woody Harrelson is the American “known” star, but his role is rather small (but still important).  The scene stealer has to be Dolly de Leon who is barely a blip on the ship portion of the film but literally shapes the whole last part of the film.

triangle of sadness charlbi dean dolly de leon ending

Don’t worry, Abigail…you’ll be able to work for someone again and live your dream of being subservient

The film also looks very good.  It does a great job in style and visuals to portray the gap in wealth.  Between the luxury food and the construction of the ship, even within the ship workers there is classism.  The film takes a completely different style and look once it gets to the island.  It loses the beauty and glamor which exists in the first half.

The battle of class is a hot topic right now and movies like this are the scream.  Like the other class based movies, the movie is pretty extreme, and the people who it is targeting probably won’t see it or understand it…it is preaching to the choir.   The ending of the movie is a bit ambiguous, but a resolute ending wouldn’t make sense either because there is no end to this “war”…and the triangle of sadness is growing.

Related Links:

The 95th Academy Award Nominations

Parasite (2019)

The Menu (2022)

Author: JPRoscoe View all posts by
Follow me on Twitter/Instagram/Letterboxd @JPRoscoe76! Loves all things pop-culture especially if it has a bit of a counter-culture twist. Plays video games (basically from the start when a neighbor brought home an Atari 2600), comic loving (for almost 30 years), and a true critic of movies. Enjoys the art house but also isn't afraid to let in one or two popular movies at the same time.

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