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Jesse Armstrong’s Mountainhead Skewers Tech Moguls in Dark New Satire

Critics praise sharp dialogue alongside elevated performances, noting uneven pacing.

Mountainhead is led with a strong ensemble of performances from Ramy Youssef, Cory Michael Smith, Steve Carell, and Jason Schwartzman.

Overview

  • The film marks Armstrong’s directorial feature debut on HBO and reunites him with Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Cory Michael Smith and Ramy Youssef as four billionaire friends at a secluded mountain estate.
  • Script to screen took just five months, with a five-week shoot in Park City, Utah timed to capture urgent debates over unregulated AI and social media.
  • Released on HBO and Max on May 31, the chamber-piece drama examines wealth, power dynamics and the ultra-rich’s detachment from global crises they helped create.
  • Reviewers applaud its darkly witty dialogue and the ensemble’s nuanced performances—particularly Youssef’s grounded turn—while some fault its uneven pacing.
  • By meeting the May 31 Emmy eligibility deadline, Mountainhead’s rapid turnaround has positioned it for awards consideration in the 2024-25 season.