Triangle of Sadness Makes You Laugh and Cringe

Triangle of Sadness is one of the least talked about of the Best Picture contenders. At least, I haven’t seen many articles come across my news feed, which feels odd given the film’s Palme d’Or win.

Could this be a case of a limited theatrical release hindering an Oscar campaign? Perhaps. Is the field too broad to allow Triangle of Sadness to get some breathing room? Could be.

Whatever the reason for this movie’s slim chance at winning, Triangle has a unique approach to getting its point across—grotesque, blunt-force trauma.

For anyone who hasn’t watched this movie, you won’t find a veil of subtly and allegory to work through like some of the other nominees. Triangle of Sadness sinks its claws into the world of the beautiful, wealthy, and privileged and rips away. Even when the tables turn and those once in power are brought low, the brutal commentary continues to tear away at the new world order.

Triangle of Sadness is a modern-day Lord of the Flies infused with much-needed levity. Although, some film critics note the lack of complexity and over-the-top awkwardness of Österland’s film. I can’t argue with those observations, but that’s part of the satire. If he had opted to take an approach similar to Tár or Banshees of Inisheirn, the point he is trying to make would not have rang as loud or even at all. He would have been engaging in the same pretension he was ripping to shreds. Triangle would have also failed to make the audience cringe from the awkward level, which would have further diminished its impact.

One thing I got hung up on was the choice to have the story unfold around Karl and Yaya, two characters who are not fully-invested members of the privileged elite. They are beautiful but live paycheck to paycheck in an industry that will eventually wash them out. They aren’t in the same circle as the other characters on the yacht, so why are they the ones who bear the brunt of the brutality? But the more I think about it post-watch, it makes the most sense because they act as if they belong. Engaging in the same behavior as the terrible people they’re around.

Another distinction Triangle of Sadness holds is that of an almost unknown cast. Woody Harrelson the notable exception. But that doesn’t mean the performances weren’t worth mentioning. Dolly de Leon’s performance as the cleaner-turned-matriarch Abigail was the commentary’s coup-de-grace. She was a beacon of hilarious yet terrifying realness in the movie’s final act. Yet, her performance did not make the shortlist for an acting Oscar, which is a shame.

However, this wasn’t a movie where one actor led the whole way. With the three-act structure, the baton kept getting passed back and forth. Why isn’t there an ensemble cast Oscar award? Triangle’s cast would undoubtedly be a contender if such a category existed.

Triangle of Sadness probably isn’t going to take home the Best Picture award on Sunday. Still, it was one of the more entertaining entries this year. I almost regret making it one of the first movies I watched. It would have kept my marathon from having too many down-tempo watches in a row.

Did you watch it yet? Comment your thoughts below.