Film review: Triangle of Sadness makes for delicious schadenfreude

Triangle of Sadness is written and directed by Ruben Östlund.

★★★★☆

Triangle of Sadness (15A) opens with models Carl (Harris Dickinson) and Yaya (Charlbi Dean) arguing over who should pay an expensive restaurant bill. Soon their bickering is forgotten, however, when, as freeloading influencers, they embark on a Med cruise in the company of the super-rich — Russian oligarchs, arms dealers, etc. — on a yacht skippered by a Marx-quoting alcoholic (Woody Harrelson).

It’s a great life if you don’t weaken, or providing Fate doesn’t intervene in the shape of a storm that shipwrecks the survivors on an island, where the roles are reversed and the useless, helpless rich find themselves at the mercy of the yacht’s cleaning lady, Abigail (Dolly De Leon), who proves hugely effective at hunting and gathering.

Written and directed by Ruben Östlund (Force Majeure), Triangle of Sadness bears a strong resemblance to The Admirable Crichton (1968), although here the satire on wealth, power and social status is considerably more biting. Woody Harrelson is good value in his cameo as the all-at-sea Captain, while Harris Dickinson and Charlbi Dean are excellent as they experience a gender role reversal once Abigail decides that a toyboy such as Carl will make the long hours on the island pass that little bit quicker. The satire can get a little ham-fisted at times, but otherwise Triangle of Sadness makes for delicious schadenfreude.

(cinema release)