There’s something endlessly fascinating about watching the ultra-rich unravel. Whether it’s their meticulously curated facades crumbling or their sheer desperation to maintain control, cinema has long been obsessed with deconstructing the idea of an upper class. These films examine the brittleness of high society, the power struggles that emerge when wealth is challenged, and the dark quirks of extreme privilege. Let’s dig into how these films expose the fragility of the elite and what lessons we can take from them.
Triangle of Sadness (2022)
A searing satire on the absurdity and chaos of wealth, Triangle of Sadness flips the social hierarchy on its head when a luxury cruise for the super-rich turns into a fight for survival. It dissects the fleeting nature of status and how it disintegrates when true survival necessity come into play. The film is ruthless in its portrayal of the clueless upper crust, showing that wealth and class mean nothing when stripped of the cushion of societal structures.
American Psycho (2000)
The infamous character of Patrick Bateman is the personification of material excess and performative power. American Psycho is a terrifyingly sharp critique of the yuppie elite, where status is everything, and morality is nothing. The film captures how the corporate richies are often so insulated from consequence and perspective that they can commit horrors in plain sight—and still be ignored.
Infinity Pool (2023)
Brandon Cronenberg’s Infinity Pool is a psychedelic descent into privilege-induced depravity. When James is on vacation at an exclusive resort that caters to the wealthy, he quickly learns that the elite have built a system where they can indulge in any crime without consequence. The film is an unnerving commentary on how the rich rarely settle for what they already have, leaving destruction in their wake.
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Tom Ripley is the ultimate social climber, desperate to infiltrate a world that isn’t his. The film places its lens on class anxiety and the lengths one will go to sustain an illusion of wealth. It exposes how easily privilege can be imitated and the violence that erupts when someone dares to challenge those born into it.
Saltburn (2023)
Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn revels in the grotesque indulgence and boredom of the wealthy. Set in a sprawling English estate, the film peels back the layers of aristocratic excess, showing how the rich weaponize charm, status, and power to toy with those they consider beneath them. It’s a deliciously wicked take on class infiltration and obsession - with a rather fun ending to flip everything on its head.
Grey Gardens (1975)
This documentary takes a hauntingly real look at the decay of American aristocracy. Grey Gardens follows Big Edie and Little Edie Bouvier Beale, once-glamorous socialites now living in squalor within their crumbling East Hampton estate. It’s an ultimately tragic portrait of old money left to rot, exposing how wealth doesn’t always guarantee security—or sanity.
Dumb Money (2023)
A more contemporary take on wealth disparity, Dumb Money chronicles the GameStop stock frenzy and the retail investors who turned Wall Street on its head. Unlike many of the films on this list, it focuses on the working class challenging financial elites, proving that power can shift—if only temporarily. It’s a thrilling exploration of economic rebellion and corporate greed.
You’re Next (2011)
This slasher cleverly subverts class expectations by placing an unassuming outsider in the center of a brutal family massacre. As a wealthy family gathers in their secluded estate, they quickly become victims of a meticulously planned attack. But the film flips the script when Erin, an outsider with a working-class background, proves far more capable than the pampered family around her. You’re Next is a gory, exhilarating take on the twisted wealthy versus the morality of the common person.
The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)
Yorgos Lanthimos delivers one of the most chilling depictions of karmic justice against the privileged. The film follows a surgeon whose family is slowly destroyed by a force beyond his control, proving that wealth and status cannot protect one from fate. With its sterile environments and unsettling performances, Killing of a Sacred Deer is a nightmare of affluence meeting retribution.
Us (2019)
Jordan Peele’s Us is a brilliant allegory for class disparity in America, pitting the privileged against their own forgotten counterparts. The film literalizes the fear of the lower class uprising, showing the terrifying consequences of a society that pushes the disadvantaged into the shadows. It’s a deeply unsettling horror film that forces audiences to reckon with the unseen victims of economic divide.
Final Takeaway: Breaking the Illusion of Wealth
Each of these films, in its own way, dismantles the illusion that wealth equates to strength, intelligence, or even happiness. They expose the desperation of the elite when their status is challenged and highlight the systems in place that allow them to keep their grip on power. But more importantly, they encourage us to question these structures. What can we do to shrink the divide between the rich and everyone else? These films might not offer solutions, but they certainly spark the right conversations.