Triangle of Sadness (M): a movie review by Alex First
A black comedy focusing on beauty, influencers, ostentatiousness, excess, pretension and power, Triangle of Sadness unfolds in three parts.
Written and directed by Swedish auteur Ruben Ostlund, we are initially introduced to model Carl (Harris Dickinson) and influencer Yaya (Charlbi Dean).
The pair is a couple and Carl calls out Yaya for always expecting him to pay for her meal when dining out, although making out beforehand that she’ll even up the score.
But as Yaya reveals, there is more to it than that.
We then move to a luxury yacht, where Carl and Yaya have been invited to join a select group of affluent guests without charge.
They include larger-than-life Russian fertiliser magnate Dimitry (Zlatko Buric) and a Swedish tech billionaire, Jarmo (Henrik Dorsin), who has been stood up.
There is a distinguished elderly British couple, Clementine (Amanda Walker) and Winston (Oliver Ford Davies). They surprise Carl and Yaya (and us) with how they made their money.
Among others is stroke victim Therese (Iris Berben), who has lost the power of speech save for repeating the German phrase “In Den Wolken”. That translates as “In the Clouds”.
Those directly servicing the passengers are given a rev-up by the vessel’s steward (Hanna Oldenburg) to ensure they maximise their chances of big tips.
At the same time, the steward is struggling to get the captain (Woody Harrelson) to attend to his duties. He has locked himself into his cabin on a drinking binge.
Things quickly go from bad to worse when a fierce storm and more confront them.
Finally, several of the passengers, including Carl and Yaya, and members of the crew find themselves marooned on an island without supplies.
Unexpectedly, toilet manager Abigail (Dolly De Leon) arrives with limited provisions and takes on a new role.
The film is a hoot. You never know where it is heading or what is going to happen next.
The title is a term used in the beauty industry and refers to a wrinkle between the eyebrows.
Scenes and situations are deliberately exaggerated and preyed upon.
Acerbic, Triangle of Sadness is a commentary about the haves and have-nots in society, the beautiful people and the downtrodden.
It is the third part of a loosely connected trilogy exploring masculinity by filmmaker Ruben Ostlund. He started with Force Majeure (2014) and continued with The Square (2017).
Several of the performances stand out, among them Harrelson, who looks totally comfortable as an alcoholic Marxist who prefers a burger and fries to fancy food.
Buric is unmissable as the unkempt Russian capitalist always out for a good time.
De Leon is a surprise packet as someone readily able to take advantage of the situation in which she her character finds herself.
The strait-laced delivery of Amanda Walker and Oliver Ford Davies in disarming Carl and Yaya is undoubtedly one of the film’s many highlights.
And then there is that dynamic between Carl and Yaya, so wonderfully captured by Dickinson and influencer Dean, who bounce so well off each other.
Unfortunately for rising South African-born star Dean, after making this film tragedy followed.
She died after contracting a viral infection, having had her spleen removed following a car accident in 2008. That made her more vulnerable to the risk of serious infection.
Triangle of Darkness, like its predecessor The Square, won the Palme d’Or at Cannes with good reason.
It is quite a bizarre and unpredictable film that pushes boundaries.
It doesn’t set a fast pace and will not suit all tastes, but it certainly wins my plaudits for originality and execution.
Rated M, it scores an 8 out of 10. 147 minutes
