Carl (Harris Dickinson) and Yaya (Charlbi Dean) are fashion models, and they have a ton of money as a result (even though it’s not about money). With that money they decide to take a trip on an exclusive cruise ship for the incredibly wealthy. Triangle of Sadness tells the story of a series of pretentious individuals, out of touch with reality and themselves. On this journey they will learn things about themselves, and they will begin to understand what is truly important in the world.
I hate nearly every character in this film. Very few of them have redeeming qualities, and they all represent the things that I hate about society and the pretentious individuals that often run it. I’m not talking about our politicians, school principals, and heads of organizations, but rather the influencers that manage to sit up in their ivory towers–shitting on the little guy. Triangle of Sadness is a satire of these people–expressing, time and time again, how these types of people are crippling society and devolving us as a population. The brilliance of what Writer-Director Ruben Östlund is able to create and express to viewers throughout the course of Triangle of Sadness is impressive–and his aggressive approach makes the film more accessible and easier to understand. Again, I hate nearly every character in Triangle of Sadness, and that seems to be the intention of Östlund–meaning he achieves his goals with ferocity and effectiveness.
Sound is a primary component of Triangle of Sadness, and it’s used to express a series of sentiments throughout the course of the film. The clarity and effectiveness of what the sound department does is impeccable. Sound ultimately tells this story, and it plays a role in creating emotion, setting the tone, and even driving the film forward. Sounds like a crying baby, a buzzing fly, or a squeaky windshield wiper help to create tension, effectively placing viewers right in the middle of the chaos throughout the film. Triangle of Sadness relies heavily on this in order to find success–and every second of what this group of talented individuals in the sound department are able to create strengthens the narrative and makes the film more accessible to all.
Comedy is used to help strengthen the narrative present in Triangle of Sadness–and it acts as the primary device by which viewers are invited into the film, to develop the characters, and to express the importance of all that is being said. There is a perfect combination of subtle and outright comedy that exists throughout the film–and they juxtapose one another well. But even better, together they help to create layers to the film. The layers present in Triangle of Sadness exist in a way that helps to reflect what we see in the real world–and the comedy helps to capture that reality. Comedy is subjective–meaning that each and every joke will appeal to a specific group. As Triangle of Sadness moves forward the different approaches to comedy help to allow the film to appeal to more and move viewers–extending its reach, better expressing its series of messages.
Triangle of Sadness is developed in a way that’s intended to antagonize viewers, to frustrate them–and it achieves this from the opening moments. As the film progresses and the story becomes interestingly more intense, all that it’s attempting to convey becomes more and more powerful–strengthening its point and solidifying its place in cinema. Truly one of the best films of 2022, Triangle of Sadness explores society and all of humankind in a way that modern audiences not only understand, but appreciate.
Written & Directed by Ruben Östlund.
Starring Thobias Thorwid, Harris Dickinson, Charlbi Dean, Jiannis Moustos, Vicki Berlin, Dolly de Leon, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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