It is a rare occurrence for a film’s behind-the-scenes drama to overshadow it’s funded publicity, but the social-media storm surrounding Olivia Wilde’s Don’t Worry Darling takes exception to this rule. Unfortunately, tension off-screen often leaves remnants on-screen, and sadly film quality suffers for it. Don’t Worry Darling follows picture-perfect couple Alice – played by Florence Pugh – and Jack – played by Harry Styles – in the idyllic Victory housing development, exclusively for employees and families of the mysterious Victory Project, headed by Frank – played by Christ Pine. The cast also employs the talents of Nick Kroll, Gemma Chan, and writer / director herself, Olivia Wilde.
The film is visually stunning, set in an array of saturated pastels in a nostalgic 1950s-esque colour scheme. For the first hour of the film, it does a great job of setting the scene, raising suspicion and shrouding itself in mystery, leaving viewers rattled and wracking their brain to uncover the secrets that Victory is keeping. It does an incredible job at setting up for a rich, robust revelation. However, from there it all falls apart, leaving you completely unsatisfied by the film’s end.
Don’t Worry Darling has several faults, and unfortunately they are unforgivable enough to ruin the cinematic experience. First of all, by the end of the film there are many, many unanswered questions and loose ends that were not tied up. The revelation that creators deemed so worthy of a #DontSpoilItDarling marketing campaign fizzles into an anticlimax. Additionally, Harry Styles’s acting is enough to de-immerse you almost immediately, and you can tell that this was picked-up on set as his lines were restricted, and an explanation woven in as to why he speaks in his native English accent half the time, and a weird American hybrid the other half. Florence Pugh however and unsurprisingly, puts on a stellar performance.
I was so excited to see this, it was one of my most anticipated films of the year. Unfortunately it’s also one of the most disappointing. I had high hopes for Olivia Wilde following her incredible Booksmart in 2019, but it seems that it could have been a case of beginners luck. Even an average movie can leave its audience with closure, and unfortunately those who watch Don’t Worry Darling will leave feeling undeniably underwhelmed
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