04 Apr 2025
12 MIN READ
5 Movies like Saltburn you need to watch next
Intro: What was Saltburn all about? Was it a depiction of the class divide or another screenplay on desire or obsession?
This divisive movie split the fans into two clubs. One will compare it to Brideshead Revisited and The Talented Mr. Ripley, while the other will call it an uninspiring take on these movies with awe-inspiring visuals. This movie hits the aesthetics on point, but does it hit the narrative high?
Alison Oliver, Barry Keoghan, and Jacob Elordi in Saltburn. Source: IMDb
The unsettling frame and the inconclusive cinematic themes make Saltburn a watch to remember. This thriller with a twist has been revered as a cult classic for its disturbing, twisted experience. Director Emerald Fennell weaves a more complex narrative with an ending open to interpretation. The climax leaves viewers questioning the nature of the lead’s actions and the movie's overall message.
The film is also drenched in symbolism. This black comedy carries biblical themes and addresses class differences and the significance of privilege and power. This is not a spoiler, but watch out for the final dance scene!
Summary: Oliver invites Felix, a middle-class student whom he met at Oxford University, to spend the summer at his mansion, Saltburn. Felix’s wealth smites Oliver, and he tries to integrate into their world. By manipulation, he becomes the indispensable man of the house. The tables turn when a central character faces an accidental death, or was it accidental?
In the thematic exploration of desire and obsession, Saltburn plotted the aftermath of upsetting the status quo. Emerald Fennell's talent for montage-heavy endings and revenge in 2020's Promising Young Woman finds its way into Saltburn. The death toll multiplies after anti-hero Oliver stages a class-warfare coup, leading to a series of murders.
The song, Murder on the Dance Floor topped Spotify’s Viral 100 chart. This movie can be categorized as a vibe-based enjoyment flick, i.e., using feelings, mood, visual language, and sensory experience to communicate the unspoken human experience. The technical department, including the art, costume, and makeup departments, won awards, while the movie garnered accolades at the Mill Valley Film Festival and the Savannah Film Festival.
Plot: ‘Saltburn’ sets off in 2006 at Oxford University, where the lead, Oliver Quick, a scholarship student played by Barry Keoghan, and wealthy Felix Catton, played by Jacob Elordi, meet. Oliver is quickly captivated by Felix's wealth, and as fate would have it, Felix invites Oliver to spend the summer at his extravagant family estate, The Saltburn.
The following events are basically a character study of Oliver, played by brilliant Barry Keoghan. He carries the traits of a sociopath and punches above his weight in this role. For a movie about excess and greed, the movie set pieces are lavish, and the cinematography by Linus Sandgren captures every detail with finesse.
This movie keeps questioning the audience. To what lengths will you push yourself to make yourself fit in? The movie answers this with twisted truths, deaths, a pinch of gothic horror elements, and satire. This movie will keep you fixated and might make you think about your moral compass.
Why do people love movies like Saltburn?
Movie still from Saltburn featuring The Garden of Earthly Delights. Source: Daily Art Magazine
Who doesn’t like watching extravagant things on screen? The life of the rich will always evoke a fascination among the audience, and this movie deals with the concept of lavishness and privilege that captivates them. Add in a touch of psychological thriller and a morally ambiguous protagonist, and the viewers are sure to be hooked.
Saltburn also uses its satirical elements to its advantage, as the absurdity of the Catton family's behavior will make you laugh. Also, the lead character is very relatable. Everybody has a dark side, and movies like Saltburn tap into our inner demons and play with them for a while.
The thriller genre will never go out of style. Nobody can forget the high that a movie like Seven gave us in its final moments. A well-made thriller will stand the test of time. Finally, people who enjoy social commentary and layered narratives will compare this movie with the likes of The Talented Mr. Ripley and rejoice in the world these creators made.
More weird movies like Saltburn: Five movies to stream now
Saltburn, at the end of the line, is unquestionably an aesthetic masterpiece, even when critics have questioned the delivery of its plot. A psychological drama that will hook every viewer on the unsettling experience and the twisted world the film seeks to explore. Here are five movies like Saltburn to stream and recall the wild experience.
#5 Thoroughbreds (2018)
A journey into the lives of two young women who are faced with the challenge of plotting to kill one of their abusive stepdads. Thoroughbred is a psychological thriller played to perfection by two childhood friends who find themselves reconnecting after several years apart. Blended with narrative twists, an unpredictable script, and dark comedy, it set the stage for a manipulative, dark-humor, and class-tension-themed film.
Olivia Cooke and Anya Taylor-Joy in Thoroughbreds. Source: IMDb
Director: Cory Finley
Screenplay: Cory Finley
Produced by: Andrew Duncan, Alex Saks, Kevin J. Walsh, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Stars: Olivia Cooke, Anya Taylor-Joy, Anton Yelchin
Awards:
2017 Winner Reel Social Club Indie Spirit Award by Cory Finley
Gotham Independent Film Award nomination for Best Screenplay
Summary: If Saltburn depicted the wealthy in England's once class-based society, Thoroughbreds showcases America in a much younger and flashier version. Much like Saltburn, this psychological thriller, bundled with dark humor, explores a series of sociopathy and privilege in an upscale world.
The plot unfolds with Amanda, played by Olivia Cooke, who reaches the home of her childhood friend, Lily, played by Anya Taylor-Joy, for tutoring. The once estranged childhood friends embark upon a journey of destructive tendencies to kill one of their abusive stepdads.
Lily's stepfather, Mark, played by Paul Sparks, is portrayed as someone who has made her life at home unbearable. Emotionless Amanda and the manipulative Lily devise a strategic plan that has undesirable and dangerous consequences. What eventually plays out and who becomes the scapegoat becomes the rest of the plot.
#4 A Simple Favor (2018)
A film that fully encompasses the essence of Saltburn: a rich house, wealthy character, twisted storytelling, and murder. Simple Favor is a must-watch for those who truly envy a well-orchestrated crime thriller. The film takes the viewers on an enjoyable and suspenseful ride of twists and turns as one woman investigates the disappearance of another.
Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively in A Simple Favor (2018). Source: IMDb
Director: Paul Feig
Screenplay: Jessica Sharzer
Based on: Novel by Darcey Bell (A Simple Favor)
Awards:
2019 Nominee Golden Trailer - Best Motion/Title Graphics
Dorian Award for "Campy Flick of the Year"
ReFrame Stamp for Feature in 2019.
Summary: A psychological thriller from the work of Paul Feig starring Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick. The film follows the story of Stephanie, played by Anna Kendrick, a devoted mommy vlogger, and her best friend Emily, played by Blake Lively, a PR executive who has her kid studying in the same school as Stephanie’s son. A simple favor that Stephanie asks of Emily takes some wild turns in this thriller.
Stephanie, in pursuit of finding the truth, evolves into a true-crime YouTuber, but not before essentially adopting her life in the process. What is unveiled is the plot twist: a truth about Emily covering her true identity.
#3 The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)
Starring Barry Keoghan, the lead actor of Saltburn, this film explores a similar theme: invading the lives of a privileged family. In an identical role in Saltburn, Keoghan plays a socially awkward teenager who, in time, becomes obsessed with a rich doctor played by Colin Farrell and his family. This psychological thriller also questions the prevailing moral ambiguity.
Nicole Kidman and Colin Farrell in The Killing of a Sacred Deer. Source IMDb
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Writers: Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou
Starring: Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Barry Keoghan
Awards:
Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Screenplay in 2017
Gopo for Best European Film in 2019
Summary: The psychological horror thriller film directed and co-produced by Yorgos Lanthimos took inspiration from the play, “Iphigenia in Aulis.” Keoghan’s disturbing performance in Saltburn is repeated in this film. Here, he plays a teenager who a successful surgeon befriended, and soon after, the surgeon's family begins to suffer from a series of inexplicable, horrific events.
Dr Steven Murphy, a respected cardiothoracic surgeon, is compelled to make sacrifices after the behavior of a teenage boy he befriended turns sinister. The plot of The Killing of a Sacred Deer is underlined when Martin then tells Steven that he is there to “balance things” by forcing him to do something extraordinary.
#2 The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
A film based on the 1955 novel of the same title takes a dig at less privileged boys invading the rich and privileged. Tom Ripley, played by Matt Damon, made his encroachment on the moneyed life of Dickie Greenleaf, played by Jude Law. In a similar setting to Saltburn, Mr. Ripley reveals his obsession and destroys the thing he is obsessed with because he can't have it. Reviewed as one of the closest comparisons to Saltburn in terms of plot and setting, it set the standard for Saltburn and similar genres.
Jude Law and Matt Damon in The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999). Source: IMDb
Director: Anthony Minghella
Story by: Patricia Highsmith
Based on: The Talented Mr. Ripley (Novel)
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures, Miramax
Awards:
Nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in 2000
2000 Oscar nominee for Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Summary: The film is set in motion when a young underachiever Tom Ripley is sent to Italy to retrieve Dickie Greenleaf, a rich and spoiled millionaire playboy. Set in the late 1950s New York, Mr. Ripley becomes fascinated and obsessed with Dickie’s glamorous and wealthy lifestyle.
A suspense thriller for everyone to watch, Matt Damon delivers an unsettling performance, guiding a darkly twisted counterpoint to Anthony Minghella's glossy direction. Mr. Ripley is a calculating young man, echoing the ideas of an inspiring man who believes it's better to be a fake somebody than an honest nobody. But what happens when an outlier is given a taste of luxury and then cut off from it? The daring lengths Mr. Ripley goes to achieve his goals become the major crux of the movie.
#1 Parasite (2019)
Parasite represents the looming class divide of modern society. A highly entertaining dark comedy that captures social satire, delivering inch-perfect cinematography and a movie that stays with you long after you leave the theatre. No wonder it bagged the Best Picture Award at the Oscars. A film that overlaps the invasion of the unprivileged, Parasite is an even finer representation of these unprivileged people wanting to work their way into the lifestyle of the wealthier family.
A scene from the 2019 Parasite depicting the struggle of the less wealthy. Source: The New York Times
Director: Bong Joon Ho
Screenplay: Bong Joon Ho, Han Jin-won
Story: Bong Joon Ho
Cinematography: Hong Kyung-pyo
Country: South Korea
Languages: Korean and English
Awards:
Academy Award for Best Picture in 2022
Summary: This South Korean masterpiece needs no introduction. It devises the most entertaining comedy and a suspenseful picture experience. Director Bong Joon-ho’s artful play with thriller and humor set a benchmark for how a South Korean film should leave a mark on the global audience.
A well-directed film features social commentary, thrilling moments, and plenty of unwavering writing. The best movie of 2019 portrays the Kim family's life in a semi-basement and their struggles to keep food on the table. This perfect representation of the class divide in a society based on wealth recalls the theme of Saltburn.
What captured the audience the most was the vivid contrast between the Kims’ semi-basement home and the lavish home of the Park family. In this enchanting narrative, the lower-class con artists begin to assume more and more of this fabricated identity of wealth and follow an unexpectedly chaotic frame where everything falls apart.
People also ask
What should I watch if I liked Saltburn?
Many movies of the same genre are available, but we highly recommend watching Parasite, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, and The Talented Mr. Ripley.
Is there another movie like Saltburn?
Some movies are known to be similar to Saltburn. For this exploration, watch Thoroughbreds (2017) and A Simple Favor (2018).
What movie is Saltburn compared to?
The Talented Mr. Ripley, released in 1999, is compared to the Saltburn movie.
Is Saltburn like Knives Out?
Both are films that explore themes of class divide and wealth in society.
What is the plot in Saltburn?
The plot of Saltburn is centered on an Oxford University student who finds himself drawn into the world of a charming and aristocratic classmate.