Mountainhead

Director: Jesse Armstrong
Screenplay: Jesse Armstrong
Producers: Jesse Armstrong, Jon Brown, Jill Footlick, Mark Mylod, Katy Bishop
Starring: Steve Carrell, Jason Schwartzman, Cory Michael Smith, Ramy Youssef
Year: 2025
Country: UK
BBFC Certification: 15

Duration: 108mins

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The recent SXSWLondon event delivered an exciting experience with a secret screening of “Mountainhead” at the Barbican London. This marquee event, nestled within the festival’s focus on screen, music, fashion, future tech and society, brought together an eager audience, along with members of the cast and crew, for a look at Writer / Director, Jesse Armstrong’s (Succession) latest satirical masterpiece.

“Mountainhead” is a brilliantly sharp satire that skewers the hubris of tech billionaires, depicting them as detached, scheming figures grappling with a world they’ve inadvertently pushed to the brink. The plot centres on a social media phenomenon that unleashes indistinguishable deepfakes, causing global chaos. What ensues is a darkly humorous, at times chilling, examination of rich nerds playing God, convinced they can disrupt and literally run the world. The film’s authenticity is unnerving, echoing how one might imagine the lifestyle and perspectives of four ultra rich Silicon Valley type tech bros.

The narrative takes a truly sinister, black-comedic turn when three of the tech bros plot to murder the fourth for daring to resist their scheme for global governmental takeovers. Carell, Schwartzman, Smith, and Youssef deliver comically nuanced performances, bringing to life these deeply flawed characters in very fine form. The setting in a remote, luxurious mountain retreat serves as a stark metaphor for their detachment from the reality and consequences of their actions, in self-serving pursuit of power, wealth and bragging rights.

Beyond its satirical bite, “MountainHead” offers a profound character study, with characterisations that resonate alarmingly close to current real-world situations and players. The film, in its chaotic energy and “frat boys” vibe, easily brings to mind grown versions of characters found in such classics as Animal House and/or Revenge of the Nerds mashup. Furthermore, it is obvious that Mountainhead is a riff on Ayn Rand’s Fountainhead and her philosophy of objectivism is particularly well engrained in the hyper capitalistic ensemble.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, the film did have some minor niggles, e.g. certain parts felt a little too long, occasionally veering into overly introspective, maudlin, or over-the-top territory. However, these are mere quibbles in an otherwise compelling and thought-provoking cinematic journey.

“MountainHead” is a must-see for anyone interested in incisive social commentary wrapped in a darkly comedic package, proving that SXSWLondon was a vibrant hub for cutting-edge storytelling across diverse content tracks, visit SXSW London Conference.