NYFF60: ‘Triangle of Sadness’ Is A Delightful Square of Satire

Triangle of Sadness (2022)
Running time: 2 h 30 m
Category: Comedy, Drama

The New York Film Festival celebrates its 60th year of sharing compelling stories with film lovers and critics in the Big Apple with the festival running from September 30 – October 16. I was honored to gain access to the festival this year and attended a few press screenings; “Triangle of Sadness” was one of those screenings and I can’t express enough how much I enjoyed this film.

Written and directed by Ruben Östlund, “Triangle of Sadness” follows what happens when a group of privileged individuals aboard a luxury yacht ends up trapped on an island when the boat sinks. This was a film I knew little about going into it. I read the description after seeing it listed for a press screening and went to IMDb to see who was in it. The only name I recognized was Woody Harrelson and with the film labeled as a comedy/drama, I was slightly interested to see where the story would go. It exceeded my expectations and was a thrill ride filled with humor, thought-provoking social commentary, and even suspense that left me engrossed the entire running time.

Arvin Kananian and Woody Harrelson in “Triangle of Sadness.” Photo: FLC Press/Neon

“Triangle of Sadness” was sectioned into three parts. Part 1 is entitled “Yaya and Carl,” played by Charlbi Dean (who tragically passed at the end of August) and Harris Dickinson as a supermodel couple who get into a huge fight on who should pay the bill. The argument speaks to the traditional roles men and women are expected to have in relationships and how money can have a negative toll causing insecurities in relationships. Part 2, “The Yacht,” finds Yaya and Carl on a luxury boat living out an influencer’s dream filled with super rich passengers from all walks of life. It’s giving white privilege all up and through that yacht. A series of events leads to the boat sinking and goes into Part 3, “The Island,” where the few survivors of the sinking acclimate to the status change and new way of living.

One of the best things about “Triangle of Sadness” is the ensemble cast made up of Vicki Berlin, Dolly De Leon, Arvin Kananian, Zlatko Buric, Jean-Christophe Folly, Sunnyi Melles, Iris Berben, Henrik Dorsin; just to name a few. They each played a very distinct character executed extremely well that you knew exactly who to root for at the given moments. Each part of the film was fleshed out enough that it could stand on its own as individual short stories. The pacing of each act worked well with the part of the story being told and the cinematography matched the mood effortlessly. Out of the three, the final act was my favorite.

We find the few survivors of the yacht sinking stuck on an island in the midst of tension building as the power dynamics quickly shift. “Triangle of Sadness” is a clever satire tale of what happens when you strip the rich and powerful of everything they use to prop themselves up on a pedestal and how much of their livelihood is based on the people they often take for granted. The theme of hierarchy is brilliantly displayed throughout this film along with many comedic moments and heart-touching ones as the survivors built comradery.  “Triangle of Sadness” is an unexpected gem you should see in the theaters. 

“Triangle of Sadness” comes to theaters on October 7, 2022.

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Photo: FLC Press/Neon