Friday Night Flicks - Best of 2022: Triangle of Sadness

Ruben Ostlund might be the most effective satirical filmmaker of the 21st century.

Rather than adhere to the new age standard of cool and coy, Ostlund’s films are made with ease of interpretation in mind. Take 2008’s Involuntary, whose five parallel stories are each a blatant piss-take on herd mentality. Or 2017’s The Square, which is an obvious mockery of the world of fine art elitism.

But his latest (and greatest) film Triangle of Sadness is his most direct statement yet, a hilarious yet thought-provoking critique of upper-class greed, social hierarchies, and the inherent flaws of both socialism and capitalism.

After taking a quick jab at the high fashion world, the Triangle of Sadness fixes its aim on the 1%. The film takes place on a cruise ship and centers on its uber-rich patrons as they indulge in a variety of excessive escapades and general buffoonery. Meanwhile, below deck, the ship’s crew work tirelessly to ensure that the often ridiculous demands of the passengers are met. 

Woody Harrelson plays the ship’s captain, a proud drunk and even prouder socialist who - at a critical point in the film’s plot - engages in a farcical argument with Zlatko Buric’s Dimitry, a manure-industry mogul who revels in telling the other passengers that he made his millions “selling shit.”

Getting the idea? 

Eventually, a certain event occurs that completely upends the ship’s social hierarchy, and that’s where things get real interesting; but if I say anything more I’d spoil the film. 

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Triangle of Sadness is this week’s Friday Night Flick, and our favorite of 2022. No modern director does social commentary quite like Ruben Ostlund, and Triangle is his perhaps his most scathing (and comedic) work yet. — Jackson Todd

Triangle of Sadness is currently streaming on Amazon Prime and Apple TV+.

Side Note: Rest in peace Charlbi Dean Kriek, who passed away in August shortly after the film’s release. As you’ll see, she completely stole the show with her performance as Yaya, and undoubtedly had a massive future ahead of her.