At a time when pop stars embark on jaunts to outer space and arrogant billionaires advise world leaders, the lives of the 1% have never been more baffling or frustrating to the everyman. Consequently, stories ridiculing the rich have become commonplace, but as we all know, not all satires are created equal. Coming from the mind of Succession creator Jesse Armstrong, Mountainhead is a story of four uber-wealthy man-children who take to the mountains whilst their artificial intelligence technology wreaks havoc, spreading misinformation and provoking political violence.
While the movie features heavy hitters Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Ramy Youssef, and Cory Michael Smith, who all earn some great laughs in the chaotic third act, Mountainhead ultimately falters in its social commentary, trying to eat the rich but lacking the bite to do so.
‘Mountainhead’s Satire Is Predictable and Surprisingly Tame

First off, not every movie needs to have some epic takeaway or deeper meaning. Some stories offer escapist bliss and mindless fun, but before it devolves into campy craziness, Mountainhead really seems like it has something to say. However, after all the ignorant comments and minor crises of conscience, the moral of the story is that the billionaires controlling the media we consume care more about money and status than they will ever care about you — landing as a revelation to absolutely nobody. The movie also touches on some fascinating (if not terrifying) points about AI and the emergence of deepfakes, and seems to be going somewhere interesting with this before never actually doing so.
Similarly tiresome, if you’re a novice in the world of finance, artificial intelligence, and legal jargon, the first half of this movie will probably make you feel both incredibly stupid and woefully poor. While these tech bros compare net worths and squabble about status, tossing around words like “Bifurcated” and “De minimis” while people burn alive overseas because of their creations, it’s immediately apparent that most of these men have lost any semblance of their humanity. Their apathy is unsurprising, and with the current state of the world we’re living in, do we really need further proof that billionaires might be out of touch?
‘Mountainhead’ Stars a Talented Cast of Horrible Protagonists, Including Steve Carell and Jason Schwartzman

Exasperating though they may be, the leading ensemble is the saving grace of the film, and Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Ramy Youssef, and Cory Michael Smith are totally believable as four privileged assholes. None of these men are strangers to comedy, but as Randall, Hugo, Jeff, and Venis, respectively, the group is wonderfully insufferable. Each brings a unique personality to their role, bolstering Armstrong’s distinct characters, who are simultaneously complete geniuses and bumbling idiots that you love to hate.
Arguably Mountainhead’s biggest draw, Carell gets the job done as Randall, delivering some lines with his signature Carell-ness that will actually make you laugh out loud. Oddly enough, however, his performance is bizarrely reminiscent of his time on The Office, if Regional Manager Michael Scott had much deeper pockets but just about as much self-awareness. Carell bounces between this Dunder Mifflin-esque energy and an oddly Shakespearean cadence, occasionally casting it all aside for rare moments of rage that will make you fittingly uncomfortable. Although the role doesn’t show us anything we haven’t seen from the seasoned star, he’s expectedly magnetic.

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Having most notably starred in Saturday Night as a young Chevy Chase, Smith has proven himself adept at personifying charismatic, cocky hotheads, and his performance as Venis certainly confirms this gift, as the guy gets into fistfights with trees and talks to the president like he’s chatting on the phone with an old college buddy. Schwartzman’s quiet anxiety is hilarious as Hugo tries to prove himself amongst the group, and even as the cautious voice of reason, Youssef still gets moments to show off his comedic skills as Jeff. The movie really thrives, however, when all of these actors get to play off one another, be it through forced camaraderie, nail-biting tension, or unexpected physical comedy.
Capturing the goings-on in Mountainhead is cinematographer Marcel Zyskind, who opts for a handheld approach for much of the movie. A behemoth of a house sequestered proudly in the mountains of Utah, the mansion provides a formidable backdrop for this cast of characters. Rather than using stiff long shots to highlight the magnitude of the location, Zyskind largely sticks with close-ups and the occasional mockumentary-style zoom. These choices provide a unique contrast to the lavish feel of the house and subtly add to the funnier moments of the movie.
Jesse Armstrong’s Directorial Feature Debut Thrives in Its Comedy and Lacks Substance

Image via HBO

Where Armstrong’s critique of the elite falls flat, Mountainhead’s comedy only gets better as the movie goes on. As this billionaire boys weekend inevitably goes off the rails, Armstrong is unafraid to lean into silliness, allowing the cast to fully give themselves to the over-the-top nature of the movie’s climax. This makes for some truly funny scenes and makes us enjoy characters whom we should vehemently dislike, which ultimately points to the fact that while Mountainhead is seemingly an attempt to criticize the world’s wealthiest, it really doesn’t say much at all. While those with unlimited resources will likely never face consequences for their actions (and that’s perhaps the whole point), the characters’ unwillingness to relinquish their power is unsurprising and infuriating.
If you come solely for the comedic stylings of four powerhouse actors, Mountainhead will certainly win you over if you don’t take it too seriously. But should you expect a scathing takedown of Big Tech’s best and brightest, the movie will act largely as a reminder that watching a bunch of rich guys spout off ignorant crap inevitably gets old and adds nothing to the conversation.
Mountainhead premieres on Max on Saturday, May 31.

Mountainhead

‘Mountainhead’ has some solid comedy but lacks as a satire, with the star-studded cast keeping it a worthwhile watch.

Release Date

May 31, 2025

Director

Jesse Armstrong

Writers

Jesse Armstrong

Pros & Cons

Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Ramy Youssef, and Cory Michael Smith have great chemistry in their chaotic ensemble.

The movie’s message (if there is one) isn’t particularly impactful.
The story could have done more with its exploration of AI and deepfakes, which provided some fascinating dilemmas for the characters early on.