Triangle of Sadness

For the first two thirds, "Triangle of Sadness" is a really strong, funny, but also bitter satire. Director Ruben Östlund targets the world of the rich and beautiful and relies heavily on black humor. The cast is strong across the board. In particular, the long discussions between the main characters Carl (Harris Dickinson) and Yaya (the recently deceased Charlbi Dean) were always fascinating. The film is by no means subtle. Bodily fluids play a significant role in a crucial sequence. What I didn't like was the film's final third, which dragged on far too long. The film is at least 20 minutes too long. The finale was neither surprising nor particularly exciting. Östlund most likely wanted to demonstrate what happens when the previously established hierarchy is turned upside down. That was unnecessary, especially at that length. Overall, I would still give the movie a clear recommendation.

One of those cases where the overall film is a bit less than the sum of its parts. We've got unique characters, strong performances, and memorable scenes, but the somewhat disjointed three part structure made me wish there had been a stronger narrative through line to tie everything together. It just felt like there were lots of setups without payoffs, which results in an unsatisfying experience despite the quality filmmaking. I'd also say the film was a tad overindulgent at times. Still, I had good time.