Triangle of Sadness

For me, on level with Parasite, and hands down the best film of this year’s KVIFF and quite likely one of the best films of the year. Sound social criticism with a stimulating, original script and wrapped in a very audience-friendly and entertaining package. Bursts of laughter assured, as well as amused disgust in the brilliantly staged captain's dinner scene, and a nicely ambiguous ending. (56th KVIFF) (10/07/2022)

A first-class social satire that takes on high society, influencers, models and the like in a subtle and sometimes wholesomely irreverent way. An alternative to Tarantino's masterfully pitched scenes, only without a splatter finale, although there are still various liquids splashing all over the place in the middle of the film. It's a shame that the most effective moments aren't distributed steadily, the second half is considerably less compact, not as entertaining, and basically you are only waiting for the finale. But the first half is so refreshing and so rounded in what it deals with that it is impossible not to admire it. A showcase of the inventive creativity of the makers of this low budget gem. (01/03/2023)

A cynical satire that cuts to the heart. Östlund shuffles the demons of today's society in an incredible way, dealing them out like cards to the each protagonist, but , above all, he entertains and is full of wit even in the most tense moments. The relatively little-known ensemble cast performs the best this year has to offer. Whether it's the king of shit Zlatko Burić, the capitalist Marxist Woody Harrelson or the downright modern couple Harris Dickinson and Charlbi Dean (God rest her soul). Taking away people's social status and shuffling the cards of importance is especially refreshing to watch these days. The film of the year will probably remain Top Gun: Maverick, but Triangle of Sadness is a close second, at least for me. It could even get an Oscar for Best Picture, it meets all the necessary requirements, though I’m not sure if any of the characters was non-binary, maybe the one that couldn’t speak... (24/12/2022)

I understand that in a time when comic book adaptations and epic fantasy dominate the film landscape, Triangle of Sadness represents a sympathetic civilian deviation for a more adult audience. On the other hand, it is not an exceptional piece, let alone film of the year. After a promising start, where Östlund takes shots at the superficial world of modeling (I know, it's an easy target, but the hits are accurate), with each subsequent chapter it becomes increasingly annoyingly didactic. Not to mention that the middle part on the boat with the puking scene is somewhat funny, but it is also somewhat cheap humor that could also appear in undemanding Italian comedies from the 70s. I have higher expectations for satire. In my opinion, the casting is also problematic. Woody Harrelson functions as expected, Harris Dickinson delivers, and Vicki Berlin in the smaller role of the chief stewardess is interesting. Unfortunately, that exhausts my positive feelings about the ensemble. With all due respect to the prematurely deceased Charlbi Dean, she was merely a model cast in a film role, and I can think of a dozen actresses who, besides a glamorous face, could deliver acting performances two or three levels better. Dolly De Leon in her variation of the Rat King completely missed the mark, and Henrik Dorsin is forgettable. I will give it a weak four-star rating, but there is something missing here. The TV series The White Lotus was able to tell a similar story with considerably better results, and it's not just because of the larger space that a series offers. Overall impression: 70%. (19/11/2022)

Östlund's sell-out with one luxurious fecal scene and a lot of populism that doesn’t offend anyone at all. In this respect, the Swedish merchant of cheap satire is the best in the world. As a filmmaker, however, he is obviously past his prime. Press play and summon Force Majeure. (03/01/2023)