After months of scandal and headlines, Olivia Wilde’s psychological thriller, Don’t Worry Darling finally hits theaters. But did all the drama pay off?
Well, before I answer that, you should probably know the film’s premise. Don’t Worry Darling follows a young and insanely attractive couple, Alice and Jack (Florence Pugh and Harry Styles), who live in the seemingly perfect town of Victory, California. Alice starts to become curious about the town and her husband’s work on the secret “Victory Project”, uncovering some disturbing secrets.
Well. Frankly, you should be worried, darlings. Because I walked out of that theatre disappointed and baffled. And I wasn’t alone.
Don’t Worry Darling doesn’t boast a grammatically correct title or a well executed plot, but it does boast one of the year’s most visually stunning productions with stellar sound and a dream wardrobe. But when you look based the pastel colored paradise, the only thing holding the film together is Florence Pugh.
When I say this film would have been pure misery without Florence Pugh, I mean every word of it.
With raw emotion, charisma, tenacity and command of every scene, Pugh delivers one of her most impressive performances to date. She is nothing short of phenomenal, acting circles around the ensemble.
The only talent who dares to go against hers and deserves praise is Chris Pine. Pugh and Pine have a tense battle of the wills discussion, which is probably the most compelling scene of the film. The two are just *chefs kiss*
But instead of getting to witness that caliber of talent, we are stuck with her going head to head with Harry Styles.
Harry. Oh Harry. I truly wanted Styles to succeed in his first leading role. Even after his embarrassing “a movie feels like a movie” moment at Venice. I wanted him to prove us all wrong.
Unfortunately, I found myself cringing whenever he delivered his lines in a multitude of different accents. He may be sweet on the eyes and looks great in 1950’s garb, but he should just stick to singing.
My biggest disappointment isn’t with Styles though with the film as a whole. Candidly, this was one of my most highly anticipated films of 2022. Between the aesthetic, the genre, and the casting, I was squealing anytime I saw a trailer.
However, instead of a compelling piece of cinema, I felt as if I sat through a disjointed and elongated version of Black Mirror, so desperate the make a statement that it loses itself in the process.
Without going into spoilers, because I know everyone on Twitter is REELING on the film’s twist, I was left with frustrated with more questions than answers.
Like…why are there many plot holes? Why did Harry Styles have a tap dance number? Where can I get Florence Pugh’s nail color?
And is Pugh’s back okay from holding the entire production on her back AFTER being through all that chaotic drama? Come on now. Give Pugh a vacation or some awards.
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