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Triangle of Sadness Movie Review: The best way to describe Triangle of Sadness would be that it’s basically a season of The White Lotus condensed into a film. Exploring class disparity and modern-day politics through its many visual metaphors, the Ruben Östlund-directorial is at its best when it just lets the characters act out the numerous absurd scenarios it displays. Although there are some limitations to how much it can offer, the film succeeds on the entertainment front overall. Triangle of Sadness Director Ruben Ostlund to Preside Over as Cannes Jury.
Triangle of Sadness follows Carl (Harris Dickinson) and Yaya (late Charlbi Dean), an influencer couple, as they embark on a cruise trip journey. The trip, which is filled with super-rich white people, takes a turn for the worse when it is attacked by pirates and leaves those on board stranded on an island. The film, divided into three chapters, is a delicate look (and even a critique) at contemporary quirks that dominate so much of our sociopolitical culture.
The cast of Triangle of Sadness is what carries the majority of the film. Harris Dickinson’s Carl is in a controlling and envious relationship with Yaya, and his back-and-forth with Charlbi make for some of the highlights of the film. The funniest sequences of the movie also feature Woody Harrelson's ship captain and Zlatko Buric's Dimitry who deliver two of my favourite performances. The genius pairing of a capitalistic Russian and a communist American was the hardest I have laughed in a while. Dolly de Leon’s Abigail, a toilet cleaner on the cruise, makes for a standout performance too, while the rest of the cast is in top form.
Where the problem lies for Triangle of Sadness is in its commentary though. Triangle of Sadness draws comparisons to The White Lotus, but fails to replicate its success because it simply piles on too much. The conversations about class disparity and the failure of the system feels relevant, but they come across as redundant given how much of the sociopolitical nature the film tries to explore.
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This, in turn, affects the pacing, making Triangle of Sadness feel longer than it needs to be. The film moves at a slow pace, clocking in at nearly 140 minutes. I thought an hour had passed until I realised that it'd been just 30 minutes since the film began. As a result, much of Triangle of Sadness' message falls flat.
What it does lack in its message though, Triangle of Sadness makes up for it with the hilarious oddities it has to offer. The film is framed as an absurdist take on crazy rich white people, and just when you think it's going to tone it down, the movie cranks it up to 11. You may have heard about a dinner scene taking place on the ship, and believe me, you are not prepared. The White Lotus Season 2 Review: Aubrey Plaza, Michael Imperioli Stand Out in This Brilliant Return of Mike White’s Addictive Drama! (LatestLY Exclusive).
In these moments the characters get a substantial amount of development. Some of my favourite scenes in the film take place on the island, where the complete collapse of a hierarchy is upended and the lower class takes over - it's scenarios like these that propel Triangle of Sadness forward. It gives the characters some breathing room, and it does make the end of their journey seem valid.
Yay!
The Performances
Absurd Scenarios to Offer
Hilarious
Nay!
Socio-Political Commentary Has a Bit Too Much Packed
Pacing Takes a Huge Hit
Final Thoughts
Triangle of Sadness is overall a good time. While Ruben Ostlund's commentary here can be a little too much, and a filter on it could have worked wonders, the film does find success in its various absurdist scenes and witty character development. Triangle of Sadness is playing in cinemas right now.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 03, 2023 03:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
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