The rich and powerful are still Jesse Armstrong’s favorite target

? Jesse Armstrong’s directorial debut proves that the Succession creator hasn’t lost his touch for eviscerating the ultra-wealthy. Mountainhead is a caustic, defiant film — a righteously furious diatribe against the maniacal egos of those with all the money and power but little moral fiber, wrapped in the best jokes in the business.

Four tech b’naires retreat to a sleek Utah mountaintop lodge while the world below burns, largely due to their own creations. Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Ramy Youssef, and Cory Michael Smith form a quartet of characters who are extremely unpredictable and very, very rich. What follows is both a hilarious and harrowing analysis of the state of Big Tech, especially when you take into account that these four characters are avatars for real-life figures who could very well be shaping our future.

Armstrong channels his anger into brutal comedy, and the script moves fast, hits sharply, and knows exactly what reaction it wants from you. The film delivers robust dissections of big ego masquerading as big humanity, exposing the philosophy-washing of big-money greed and immorality. With biting references to moral philosophy and contemporary tech culture, Armstrong demonstrates the sharpness and intellect that made Succession what we know it to be. Beneath the barbed one-liners, egos, and one-upmanship are prescient reminders of how AI and disinformation can damage our society in untold ways. The satire resonates because it feels too close for comfort.

We believe Mountainhead is a misunderstood underdog that deserves far better than its lukewarm audience scores suggest — and the critics scores can back us up. The film may be billed as a comedy, but the way Armstrong’s TV hit or The Bear can be considered comedies. It’s not a crowd-pleasing, slapstick blockbuster designed for mass appeal — it demands engagement and a healthy knowledge of Silicon Valley’s inner (and outer) turmoil.

For fans of intelligent comedy that punches up, Mountainhead delivers exactly what you’d hope for from Armstrong: wit that draws blood and laughter in equal measure.

WHERE TO WATCH- Mountainhead is currently streaming on OSN+. You can catch the trailer on YouTube (runtime: 2:06).