Triangle of Sadness (2022) User Reviews

The art of satire

[Lukrash · 7/10 · 7 June 2023]

You have probably never seen a movie like this one. Its craziness is simply undeniable, juggling the grotesque to perfection to paint an unflattering picture of the highest social castes. But while one could be reluctant to see yet another moralizing movie where "the rich are the bad ones and the poor are the good ones", Triangle of Sadness succeeds in going further. Indeed, every protagonist can be made fun of as, through the movie, they all reveal their flaws and their greed.

However, the movie remains first and foremost a clever satire of the highly wealthy. They give ridiculous speeches, make senseless demands and look down on the boat crew. Also, the great acting helps bringing humor in this sometimes blood-curdling picture. Finally, seeing how every character evolves through the various events is really interesting for this purpose.

The message is that money and power pervert you, going with the usual critique of capitalism. While this theme is quite recurrent, the odd way this movie brings it makes it very interesting, shouting out loud what we all already know. 7/10.

Terrific build up of the story, but with a lesser final...

[imseeg · 8/10 · 30 November 2022]

This is something else and then some!

I accidentally stumbled into this movie and I can tell you that his story fascinated me from the very start! Without anything in particular dramatic happening at all, a FASCINATING tension / intrigue was slowly building up inside this story. THAT's the trademark of a brilliant writer and director!

This is definitely a director's gem!

This director manages to evoke feelings, evoke thoughts, with mere images and without any logical explanation. It is such a joy to watch this mindbending story unfold!

The photography needs special mentioning, because it was like a fly on the wall. Subtle, but suggestive. Mysterious and mesmirizing. I was drawn in like rarely happens. I was mesmirized!

However great the buildup in eery tension was during the first part of this movie, the final segment of this story was a bit of a let down, because the eery tension was gone. Still fascinating to watch the final unfold and there will surely be a LOT of moral analysis WHAT this picture is all about. But in the end this is what I simply would like to call BRILLIANT CINEMA.

BRAVO!

Thank you for reading my 1800th review on Imdb!

Entertainingly thoughtful - just the right balance

[lepahin · 8/10 · 3 September 2022]

We watched it just a few days after we learned the death of Charlbi Dean, so I expected an awakward experience, but the film pulled me in from the first minutes. It was much lighter and much more fun than I expected - the title is misleading as "sadness" is absolutely not a topic in the film. However, it deals with quite a lot of topics such as richness, power, capitalism/socialism, and so much more... without preaching or suggesting anything. And it is funny and entertaining from start to finish, sometimes even going into satire. A definitely must watch where you don't feel at all that the runtime is over 2 hours. A very European, very international, very likable movie with stellar performances and a very funny but believably absurd story.

Horror movie of a different sort

[californiahummus · 9/10 · 9 October 2022]

This is why I used to go to theaters - to watch thought provoking entertaining movies. While there may be little to no blood - this movie is brutal. No stone is left unturned as you move through society's expectations of class, money and sexual politics. This is not light breezy fun and is sure to turn your stomach just watching it at times. This is a return to an original script not based on some comic book or sequel of some long drawn out franchise. I mean you could watch another DC/Marvel movie but is there a point to that anymore? This is in my humble opinion the best movie of 2022 (so far).

On the nose, wished it was wasn't

[DominosthroughAgrate · 12 November 2022]

Having adored Ruben's first film and admired his second, I had high hopes for Triangle of Sadness.

Unfortunately, whilst there were some strong moments (mostly in the trailer) and I enjoyed many of the performances, it felt overly long and rather self-satisfied.

Lampooning the lives of the hyper rich, the ugliness, the greed, should come from a place of neutrality and I feel, MUCH more challenging and nuanced than this rather basic farce full of cheap stereotypes.

At no point did I feel that Ruben and the writers felt for a second that they were also part of an elite, as a creation of a privileged bunch of Western European creatives, I'm surprised there's been not much to question this.

Was there any introspection as to the hypocrisy of their position? The cinematic equivalent of a western teenager wearing a Che Guevara t-shirt to their private school.

Not surprisingly the disconnected Cannes audience ate it up. Awarding it, celebrating it and then popping back to their yachts in the harbour to demand cold champagne and hot massages from "the staff".

Like being beat to death with a cudgel...slowly

[bjhex1 · 6/10 · 27 February 2023]

First of all, there is no earthly reason this movie needs to be 2 hours and 27 minutes. None. 147 minutes of beating home with sledgehammer efficiency, the prevalence of socio-economic injustice, the perverse obsession with the superficial over the substantial, and gender inequity. The exposing and mocking of which, I am 100% supportive! But the execution is so lazy and repetitive that, even though the core message is admirable, this can hardly be considered enjoyable, much less enlightening.

Now, I love a slow burn. I like long films. And I definitely like films that have something to say. But in all honesty, this film could have been cut by 1/3rd and spared the audience a lot of pain. Every scene is too long, starting from the very first one. There certainly is a message of gender-reversed exploitation to be made, but how long does it really need to take? And the awkwardness of Carl and Yaya's evening is excruciatingly drawn out, exacerbated by the dull and fractional dialogue (though this could be mitigated by the characters being dull and fractional themselves). Even the aftermath of the Captain's Dinner is gratuitously long and boring (I won't even bring in 'disgusting', because that frankly isn't even the issue.) It must be meant for an audience unfamiliar with subtlety in film, but there's no way that target audience has the attention span for such a drawn out film.

Only the 3rd chapter (which deep down somewhere, I knew *had* to be coming, though I'd hoped credits would role at the end of Chapter 2) was even remotely interesting. Two hours of laborious setup to reveal what we already knew in the first place, and had been very obviously foreshadowed from the first moments on the yacht. Take a bit of The Menu and add some Lord of the Flies, but the total is less than the sum of its parts.

You know why this won't get any rewards?

[FilmFlowCritics · 7/10 · 13 October 2022]

Pretty much like "The Square", Östlund delivers again so much in between the lines of social criticism, while also not shying away from pretty much on the nose satire in its most vulgar form. While being creative and very anti-consumerism with the message here, this is a movie that might be to "critical" of the high society lifestyle, to reap rewards for the cleverly written satire it really is. It has a clear structure but also many flaws, that won't spoil the enjoyment though.

This movie is unfortunately 40mins to long and has an ending that is not satisfying in my personal opinion, but that's a matter of taste.

P. S. - Don't eat during act 2 and thank me later.

Extra-ordinary!!!

[yosoyanonim · 9/10 · 4 June 2023]

There are tons and tons of films predictibles, borings and with bad directions and worst scripts. Why are they not like this one???

I have many good adjectives to rate it... Intelligent, creative, unique, surprising, different, unspected, artistic, ingenious, hilarious, malicious, powerful, significant, defiant.

This is not for everyone. You must have this kind of dark humour to laugh and enjoy. Again, this is not for everyone.

You will not know in the beginning what is that about. A drama? A thriller? A comedy? A critique? Maybe is all that in different points of the story. But you will not be disappointed. I'm quiet sure!

Clever Film

[jammerknight · 7/10 · 30 March 2023]

Im still picking over the details of this film a while after watching. A very intentional film and understandably doing well in the awards season. An exploration of class dynamics and society through the lens of a luxury yacht, bad weather and castaway. A clever film but not really my cup of tea Harris Dickinson is extremely charismatic in this film which takes plenty of wild turns. This film peaks on the yacht but delivers some great moments in the third act. I'm a bit dissatisfied by the ending as it was just so abrupt but I have my theories! Good watch and leaves a slight sickening feeling at the bottom of your chest as it hits a little too close to home!

What people who don't watch art movies think art movies are like

[Lockout_Salties · 5/10 · 29 October 2022]

There has been a lot of buzz about Triangle of Sadness, especially given that it won the prestigious Palm D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Generally, however, reviews have been divided, with some calling it a hilarious anti-rich romp, and some criticizing it for being shallow in its satire.

But the problem with Triangle of Sadness has nothing to do with whether or not it is good dark comedy. The problem is that it's a complete mess. Annoying, disjointed, and appallingly slow, this is one of the most unpleasant cinemagoing experiences I've had all year. However, I can't deny that it is very well-made and acted, which saves the movie from outright badness.

The film starts off on the wrong foot with a long, long argument between its two protagonists. It's clearly supposed to show how shallow rich people are, but the scene should be around two minutes and instead takes up what feels like twenty. Both characters are intensely irritating: again, not on its own an issue, but it's not justified sufficiently to make it worthwhile.

Initially, you think to yourself "no matter. A lot of movies don't start great. This is bound to get better." But, unfortunately, the opposite is true. Triangle of Sadness doesn't just have an overly long and slow beginning section, it's an overly long and slow movie. You find out that it scarcely has anything that resembles a plot or any real structure, and almost every single one of the characters are designed to be extremely unlikable. This leads to scene after scene of no consequence and little entertainment value, interspersed with only the occasional mildly amusing gag. Any through line established in the opening is completely dropped for no apparent reason. Even when the boat is finally left behind, the plot does not pick up whatsoever and still refuses to engage the audience.

What's most frustrating is that the elements for a great movie are right there. The acting is executed well and the movie is styled in a unique yet restrained way. Some of the humour even elicits laughs, a rare trait for a modern comedy. But none of this is enough to fully salvage the film and make it worth watching. Triangle of Sadness is a movie that has the trappings of great cinema, but it's all in service of a wretched, vacuous hole at its center.

Finally Score: 46/100.

Deeper than it seems

[Nplus1 · 8/10 · 29 September 2022]

At its top layer, "Triangle of sadness" is a skillfully harsh comedy/parody, proudly absurd with a good dose of "cringe" in each of its 3 parts. Yes, it's funny and yes it's rude and over the top, but how else could it be since it tries to point a finger at our contemporary society?

If you follow the path that Östlund opens up for you, you might notice that beneath the strangely entertaining package the director tires to bring to light weakness found in aparent strength and not only this, but he also implies that no matter how much you try to "strip" people of their social shell, deep inside they can never really change.

Absolutely recommended and definitely worth the Palme d'Or it got this year!

I stayed awake for 2 hours and 27 minutes on a Friday night!

[krkemp · 10/10 · 14 October 2023]

This is one of the best movies I've seen in a while. It was entertaining, thought provoking and kept you wondering what was coming next. The characters and the dialogue and the situations were so realistic. If you've been on a cruise or a ship, it's even more entertaining to watch. I don't want to say too much because I went into it knowing absolutely nothing but this is a very entertaining movie!

Another great thing about this movie is that the backdrop keeps changing. It starts out with two models who are dating and having some relationship issues...the issues they are having and the way they handle these issues are very realistic and relatable.

Next, the movie moves to a luxury cruise. As I mentioned, this is fun to watch, especially if you've been on a big ship before.

I think this movie should have won best picture! It is very unique, not at all pretentious, well directed, well acted, great pacing, it's really very good.

Awesome social comedy drama

[searchanddestroy-1 · 18 May 2023]

If you have loved THE SQUARE and SNOW THERAPY, you will litterally "melt" for this one, a satyrical portrait of the modern world and human behaviour in particular. It is smart, brilliant, intelligent, subtle and strangely the length is not an obstacle to appreciate this more than two hours and fifteen minutes fom Scandinavia. Built in three parts, the settings change and that helps a lot to "digest" the story. It is so unusual, compared to US Hollywood standards, destined to gigantic audiences. Both TRIANGLE OF SADNESS and THE SQUARE were rewarded in Cannes for the Palme d'Or and it plenty deserves it.

An explicit critique of capitalism and of elitism.

[fciocca · 6/10 · 7 October 2023]

'Triangle of Sadness' condemns capitalism and it does it in a very explicit way. This is expressed by Thomas, the captain of the luxurious yacht and Dimitry, a very rich entrepreneur. The director used them to express a political message. This is very clear towards the end of the second part, when these two characters were rumbling about socialism and quoting people such as Markx and Lenin. Every character represents a different issue in our society: Yaya and Carl are a dysfunctional and clearly incompatible couple that is basing their entire relationship on her influencer career. The many guests of the yacht are a critique to the ultra wealthy society that exploits the poor. They think that the world is their fun park, just because they have the money, so they are allowed to do whatever they want, dismissing any kind of rule. Or at least this is the message that I perceived. Abigail is the most interesting character, because she is a sort of vindication of poor people against privileged folks. She demonstrates that in a situation of pure survival she has all the skills needed to keep the people well fed, while the rich just enjoy their time doing almost nothing to help her. I do not want to spoil the movie, so I will just say that the open ending is a really nice metaphor where everyone can give their own interpretation. Whoever wrote this film, clearly cannot stand the ultra rich and in my perspective at times they came in too strong and hateful towards this kind of society. However, the movie works nicely as a black comedy: the middle section is the funniest. The scene set during the Captain's dinner is especially hilarious. Some dialogues dragged me a bit away from the funny moments. I think that in some instances screenwriters could turn down the serious tone and let the audience just enjoy absurd sequences, without constantly bombarding with philosophical, existential or political matters.

The photography is simple and clean. There are a few fixed camera shots that are very pleasant to see and a bit different from what we are used to seeing in most films. The acting is wonderful. The best performance was given by Dolly De Leon, who was very natural. She does not have much screen time, but her character left the biggest mark. The rest of the cast is composed of competent actors. Woody Harrelson, after a few disappointing productions such as 'Kate' and 'Venom: Let There Be Carnage', was shining. I really hope that he will pick up his roles more carefully in the future, as if he is put on the right projects, he can clearly show his acting skills. My rate for this film is 6.3. I suggest watching it if you are into black comedy,it can be a really fine ride.

The total package of a film

[jtindahouse · 9/10 · 17 December 2022]

I kept seeing rave reviews coming out of Fantastic Fest 2022 for 'Triangle of Sadness' and it has been on my radar ever since. I saw it was slightly on the longer side in terms of run times so it took me a little while to find the time to watch it. I'm so glad I did though. This is one of the best films I've seen all year.

I mentioned that the film was long, however I didn't want it to end. I find a lot of these drawn out 150+ minute films drag and I'm constantly checking my watch. Here though, I would've happily sat through another 3 segments of film with these characters.

The film is wickedly smart. It's not out to be subtle with its social messages, but I think that's why it works so well. It's so forthright with them that they can't be taken too seriously. I never felt like the film was trying to preach at me. It was more a case of making fun of generalisations in a hilarious way.

Finally, the film is very funny. If you only watch one scene of a movie from 2022 make it the Captain's Dinner from 'Triangle of Sadness'. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. This film was very, very good. 9.5/10.

Triangle of Sadness (TRI) review by Most Fair

[sseberg · 6/10 · 21 December 2023]

TRI is a satiric comedy movie, and an interesting watch. The humor is constantly ironic and solid backed by great cast of actors. TRI really starts to get good on board a luxury cruise ship, but this review won't reveal any further details.

Movie scenes and pictures of TRI are okay but the TRI comes alive through its brilliant monologue and over the top grossness (By positive means).

TRI is comparable to 'the Menu' and will definitely be a one to watch for fans of such film. The rating 6/10 is well above average and worth your time.

The international cast are top performers and made me laugh out loud due to funny and grotesque/gross moments.

3 films in 1, worth it!

[dunxgrant · 9/10 · 3 August 2023]

I haven't reviewed a film here for 10 years. This one is a gem.

How vapid is our society, and how men feel crushed by their superficially over-performing female mates (a simple influencer)... how vapid the entire society is, the rich with their perks, regardless of how they achieved that status.... and then how fast it can all descend to absolute survival basics.

And I must give a shout out to the choice of final music track, Fred again.. feat. The Blessed Madonna - Marea (We've Lost Dancing) - a song that reflects what we lost during Covid. For all those people who were were frustrated at home not being able to do normal things we took for granted since birth.

The film is a massive and genius critique on all the values we have lost over the past few decades.

SUCH A GREAT MESSAGE

[rachaelitch · 6/10 · 16 May 2023]

Wow. This movie was something else. I had no idea what to expect from the cover. I had no idea what to expect from the trailer. And I also had no idea what to expect from the reviews that I read from people.

This movie was such an amazing concept. One that I wish a lot of people would watch. I just recently got off a cruise ship and the whole time I made sure that I was extremely nice to the workers and help there. Mainly because this movie put my eyes into a whole new perspective.

It showed that no one is above anybody. It shouldn't matter about money because, in the end, it doesn't matter about money. The fact that they had the yacht crash and all those with money were helpless, and their money did nothing for them there, showed that there should not be a hierarchy when it comes to people.

This movie was so nicely done in a way that I want to watch it multiple times to see all the other meetings that were interlaid in the layers. It me laughing. It kept me thinking. And it kept me wanting more.

Funny & Genius

[univiniti · 10/10 · 18 May 2023]

This movie is absolutely hilarious and exercises our weakening muscles of nuance.

The writing, directing, and acting in this movie is diamond flawless and leverages our innate tendency towards power dynamics, servitude, and privilege to display an inherent absurdity in human nature and survival.

The way the characters adapt to extremely volatile circumstances makes for a wild journey into something both disorienting and beautiful.

This movie explores tensions and resolutions between socialism, capitalism, sexism, "wokeism", and privilege in a highly unique and subtle way.

This movie is a must see for anyone who enjoys a cerebral laugh.

A bit of a let down

[klwalthour · 7/10 · 14 October 2022]

I came into this movie with high expectations. I've seen the preview about 10 times now, and it made me laugh each time. Unfortunately, the trailer picks the funniest bits and edits out all of the fodder-of which there was a lot. There were many stretched out, choppy scenes of dialogue that felt awkward. The first half was hilarious. The drama of the cruise was very funny and obviously rising to a peak that paid off. The latter half, with a very limited cast, lost a lot of its satirical ability. No doubt, it was still humorous but a lot of the essence of a satirical, class-upheaval film was lost.

Best watched on an empty stomach

[eddie_baggins · 8/10 · 24 January 2023]

The winner of the 2022 Cannes Film Festival's coveted Palme d'Or prize, Ruben Östlund's Oscar nominated latest slice of melancholy and home truths about the human condition is going to be a divisive exercise for audiences as the Swedish director examines the divide between the haves and the have nots in an epic darkly comedic operation that will likely ensure it's sometime between trips to your local seafood market.

Flirting the line between dramatic beats and Monty Python like physical comedy and outlandish situations, Östlund's Triangle of Sadness is broken up into multiple chapters, with the central figures to the story being Harris Dickinson's down on his luck model Carl and his influencer girlfriend Yaya (played by the late Charlbi Dean who sadly passed away not long after the films release) as the two find themselves aboard a luxury yacht captained by Woody Harrelson's unpredictable literature loving overseer who is going to provide the cruise's guests with numerous unforgettable memories.

In no hurry across its questionably extensive two and half hour runtime, many will not be able to predict where Sadness is going as it slowly and surely wanders along its narrative that around the midway point provides viewers with some of the most unexpected and eye-popping cinematic moments of recent memories as Östlund's razor sharp social commentary takes hold and the journey of Carl, Yaya and the cruise's many guests and staff crash headfirst in an explosive way, leading to various revelations and contemplation's for the films colourful characters.

Headlined well by rising star Dickinson and the taken too soon Dean, who you sense was destined for big things following this effort, Sadness finds some fantastic moments courtesy of Östlund's award worthy screenplay and some fantastic turns from the likes of Dolly De Leon as softly spoken ship handmaid Abigail, Zlatko Buric as Russian millionaire Dimitry (stealing the films best scene courtesy of a P. A system) and the always enjoyable Harrelson, who as per usual makes the most of any screen time he has given as a man who appears to have had enough of playing along with mandatory niceties.

With so much to enjoy and unpack across Sadness's extensive runtime, there is a strong sense that Östlund's feature runs out of steam in the latter stages and while it's best that viewers head into Sadness as blind as possible, once the films last chapter takes hold there are less wins for the narrative as we begin to look forward to a neat wrap up that comes in the form of one of the more abrupt endings of 2022, one that is likely to cause significant debate amongst the film community, much like the film as a whole that some will adore and others loathe.

Final Say -

Providing us with some of the more memorable genuinely hilarious moments of any film from the last 12 months, Triangle of Sadness is a unique feature film from one of the most individual voices in world cinema and while the film does run out of steam in its endgame, Östlund's film is still another fine addition to an increasingly impressive resume of releases.

4 hand grenades out of 5.

Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)

Heavy handed satire by Ostlund

[gortx · 25 October 2022]

Writer-Director Ruben Ostlund fancies himself as a filmmaker specializing in social satires. As the title hints at, his heavy-handed TRIANGLE OF SADNESS is broken up into three chapters. What connects the three are a fashion modeling pair, Carl (Harris Dickson) and Yaya (Charlbi Dean; in her final role).

The conceited couple end up on a luxury cruise ship which includes a contingent of Russian oligarchs. It's captained by an erratic commander in Woody Harrelson, leaving much of the crew discipline up to Paula (Vicki Berlin). As in FORCE MAJEURE and THE SQUARE, Ostlund is fond of having a big set piece at the center: the avalanche in FORCE, the ape man at the fundraiser in SQUARE. In TRIANGLE OF SADNESS it's a Captain's Dinner set during a storm. Anybody who's seen Marco Ferrari's LA GRAND BOUFFE or Monty Python's MEANING OF LIFE will be prepared for the aftermath of the combo of fine dining and sea-sickness that follows. And, then things get even worse for Carl, Yaya and the rest of the guests and crew.

Ostlund has never been a subtle filmmaker, but, even by his standards, TRIANGLE OF SADNESS hits its targets too directly and on point from the very start with an over-extended prologue showing how superficial the fashion world is - stop the presses! Ostlund is too talented for the movie to be totally bereft of humor, but, he beats his targets over the head so firmly that whatever insights or laughs get drowned out in the process.

The final act, the aftermath of the cruise ship's calamities, has a certain effectiveness even if it's too drawn out. Dolly De Leon as Abigail, a cleaning woman, comes to the fore in this section and gives the movie a genuine spark or two. The rest of the cast do what they can with the the script (Ostland's first primarily in the English language - maybe the nuances got lost in the translation). Zlatko Buric is particularly effective as a boorish Russian passenger. Production-wise, TRIANGLE is well made with good use of the locations, including the main setting on the Cristina O yacht; But in the end, it's the failure of Ostlund to have anything to say -- let alone with wit and wisdom - that sinks this production.

And we are all sinking with them

[ichsachmalso · 9/10 · 17 October 2022]

This was thoroughly enjoyable. Packed densely with neon metaphors, commentary and humour, honestly I couldn't have been more entertained.

The power imbalances were often hard to watch (all on purpose obviously) and Abigail's comeuppance and the reveal in the end felt like the right moment to stop.

All in all I felt like it was a great interplay of entertainment and clear commentary about what we're (as rich nations in general and billionaires/capitalism in particular) are doing to the environment and everyone around us. Humanity came through in its small facets like the Captain and the Russian bonding over their nihilistic quote-off.

The pacing was snappy and I never noticed that over 2 hours had even passed.

The metaphors are in your face

[Sexy-scientist · 7/10 · 27 April 2023]

Part 1 - Intro: It's about gender inequality and less focus on male models in the industry. 6⭐

Part 2 - Carl and Yaya: It's about the effect of that inequality on the societal gender roles. Plus, a glimpse of what happens when someone plays power game in a romantic relationship. 8⭐

Part 3 - The yacht: It is a commentary on the hierarchical system established in the society. Plus, there's a battle scene between socialism and communism. 7⭐

Part 4 - The island: This segment is about what happens when there are no forces of society. The whole hierarchical system comes crashing down and everyone is equal. Then, people find their new skill sets and a new hierarchy emerges. 8⭐

Thoughtful, Fresh Film

[bryce-74781 · 10/10 · 7 August 2023]

I don't understand the many negative reviews. I found the film to be a fresh approach to what could have been a predictable story.

Funny, sad, tragic and engaging. A thoughtful presentation that captures the complexity and inherent contradictions of wealth and power.

Solid acting, well crafted script, excellent cinematography make for one of the best films we've seen in a long time.

When we read the reviews of those who were "bored" watching, we weren't sure we viewed the same film. Because we found the movie riveting from start to finish. A most welcome perspective that kept our attention while we watched and had us talking after it concluded. Well done!