TRIANGLE OF SADNESS

Sweden, 2022, 138 minutes, Colour.

Harrison Dickinson, Charlbi Dean, Vicki Berlin, Dolly De Leon, Alicia Eriksson, Woody Harrelson, Zlatko Buric, Sunnyi Melles, Amanda Walker, Oliver Ford Davies.

Directed by Ruben Ostlund.

When Carl, Harris Dickinson, auditions with a group of young men for commercials, someone says that the triangle of sadness is the part of one's face between the eyebrows, where it is believed that a person's stress and worry levels are apparent. Since we do get many close-ups of the range of characters in Triangle of Sadness, we see many stress and worry levels.

Ruben Ostlund, with his films Force Majeure, The Square, came to international attention, winning at Cannes with The Square and then with Triangle of Sadness, 2022. Ostlund is something of an iconoclastic writer and director, more than a touch of cynicism in his portrayal of the struggles between rich and poor, the battle of the classes. Which is key to understanding this film.

Ostlund does not worry as to whether his audience will be always on his wavelength, always following what is going on, but takes them wherever his imagination takes him – however wild (and, with his now-famous 18 minute vomiting sequence in the middle of the film), it veers in unexpected directions. And, worth noting, when asked about the ending of the film where, it seems, it just stops, he replied that he had not yet made up his mind! So, for audiences on this wavelength, quite an unexpected challenging entertainment.

Quite a deal of time is spent with the two young characters, Carl and Yaya (Charlbi Dean), he the model, she a glamorous “influencer”. In fact, the first part of the film is their squabble in a restaurant as to who will pay the bill, she seeming to have promised but casually avoiding it, he becoming more and more obsessive about principle, about men and women, rights, duties. He can’t let it go.

However, while they are still present throughout the film significantly, they become part of a larger cast on a luxury cruise, the core of the film. Actually, there are three levels of class: the first class wealthy passengers (for some, wealthy an understatement), including Carl and Yaya their trip is being sponsored; then there is the crew, at the beck and call of passengers, always saying “yes”, even when a drunken wife insists that all the crew go for a swim, using the slide into the ocean (and the answer is “yes”). But, below decks, other menial servants, the toilet cleaners and sweepers, mainly Asian.

The captain, Woody Harrelson, an alleged Marxist, is drunk and refuses to leave his cabin until the captain’s dinner. There is a bloated Russian oligarch who sells fertiliser and has made a mint, his wife. There is a rich man, very rich, from IT. There is a German with his wife who has suffered a stroke and who can only call out in German. And there is a very proper uppercrust British couple, Amanda Walker and Oliver Ford Davies (named, ironically, Winston and Clementine) who are revealed to be weapons merchants, grenades and landmines, talking business as if they were producing cheese.

So, satire on the wealthy. And, then the captain’s dinner, the lavish seven courses, the infections, the vomiting, the sewage overflowing, the oligarch arguing Marxism versus Communism with the Captain, and telling passengers that the boat was going down (and then relenting). But, in fact, the yacht is invaded by pirates, an explosion, and the yacht goes down.

An island for the third part. Only a few survivors. Mainly passengers, including Carl and Yaya and the oligarch, Paula, the head of the staff crew, and Abigail, one of the cleaners. Roles reversed. Abigail able to light fires, catch fish, take control, even decide to take Carl as a lover. Definitely roles reversed – and an effective performance by Dolly De Leon from the Philippines.

There is some drama with each of the characters, between Carl and his liaison with Abigail tormenting Yaya, the fact that one of the pirates has survived, Paula still in working mode but subordinate to Abigail.

A melodramatic buildup towards the end, Abigail and Yaya climbing the mountains, Yaya and a huge stone approaching Abigail – and then a revelation. What would happen? What did happen? And a final glimpse of Carl racing through the jungle. Final credits.

1. The title, the face, the space between the brows? In reference to this film, characters and action?
2. The director, perceptions of society, sardonic, critical, the touch of cynicism? Awards for this film?
3. The settings, ordinary European settings, modelling, fashion world, apartments, restaurants? The yacht, luxurious, exteriors, interiors? The island, tropical, vegetation, survival? The musical score, songs?
4. The structure of the film, the different chapters and emphases?
5. The introduction, the models, the various poses and faces, Carl within this world? Interviews, the panel, expressions, walking, rhythms? Car throughout the film, his relationship with Yaya, the long squabble about the payment, on the yacht, with the other guests, surviving on the island? Abigail and her demands on Carl? Yaya’s reactions?
6. The chapter on Carl and Yaya, their being a couple, the running time is spent in the restaurant, the aftermath of the meal, Carl and his being anxious, Yaya casual, conscious of herself, the phone? The issue of payment for the meal, what each said, Carl and his seriousness, continually pursuing the issue, Yaya casual, offering to pay? The return to the apartment, separate, the continued obsession?
7. The yacht, luxury, the captain, drinking, his Marxism, refusing to come out of his cabin? The second in charge, the requests? Paula, in charge of the staff, trying to persuade him to come out? His eventually coming out, the issue of the captain’s dinner, prospect of whether, entry, meeting the guests, the Russian oligarch, conversations of the table, Marxism and commoners, capitalism? The increasing storm, more drinking, the arguments? The passengers ill? The oligarch, drunk, on the microphone, announcing the ship was going down? Joke, change of heart, the continued discussions? The oligarch’s survival?
8. Paula, the pep talk with the staff, their cheering her on, urging yes for every reply? Her being busy, greeting the guests, concern about the captain? The issue of the Russian wife, wanting everybody to swim? The serving of the meal, the passengers getting sick? Her surviving on the island?
9. The range of staff, Alice’s representative, saying yes, everybody agreeable, the serving drinks, the saving of the meal, the discussion about everybody going for a swim, the decision to pander to the request? The Russian wife, relationship with her husband, his fortune, her drinking, her illness, drowning, washed up on shore?
10. Carl and Yaya on the boat, a complimentary trip? Sunbathing, the enormous number of photos, Yaya preoccupied with the photos? Carl, the touch of the sullen? Talking with the guests, at the meal? Surviving?
11. The British couple, Winston and Clementine, upper-class, talk in manner, their business, grenades, landmines? Their being unwell at the meal? Not surviving?
12. The reserved traveller, wealthy, IT, the drink at the bar with Yaya and her friend? The dancing? At the meal? Is surviving?
13. The couple with the wife having the stroke, the husband attentive, her repeating the same German phrase? At the meal? Her surviving?
14. The domestic staff, on the lower deck, cleanup work, the toilets, scrubbing the yacht after the vomiting? Abigail, her role, surviving?
15. The impact of the sickness sequence, the buildup, the seven courses, the description of the courses, luxury, the beginnings of the sickness, the continuing meal, the drinking, the vomiting and its range? The effect on the audience?
16. The storm, the pirates, the advance on the yacht, the explosions, the sinking? The pirate survivor, stating that he was in the engine room, later admitting the truth?
17. The survivors, washed onshore, the condition, not able to help themselves? Abigail, getting the fish, preparing the meal, lighting the fire, being in charge? The switch of roles? Paula and her reaction, obeying? The needs of the group, water, food? Abigail and her dominance, giving out the portions, more for herself? Carl and the pirate heating the sticks, not telling the truth, Abigail punishing them by not giving them food? The group and their subservience to Abigail?
18. Their interactions onshore, talking, discussions, surviving? Abigail and the lifeboat, her demanding that Carl spent his time with her? Yaya and her reaction? Carl, the blend of the naive with surviving? The sexual relationship with Abigail? The result for Yaya?
19. Collecting the debris from the boat, the presence of the pirate, his becoming part of the group? Revealing his character, educated? The financial benefits of being a pirate? The oligarch and his dead wife washed ashore?
20. Celebrations, the wealthy man in his suit and tie? The possibilities for survival?
21. Yaya, Carl and his behaviour, asking Abigail to cross the mountain with her, the danger, Yaya with the rock, to kill Abigail?
22. The mystery of the elevator on the other side of the island? Possibilities for rescue? The bonding between Abigail and Yaya?
23. Carl, his awareness, running through the jungle – and the film stopping?