Olivia Wilde’s second feature-length film, Don’t Worry Darling, hit theaters on September 23rd. The highly anticipated thriller from Wilde features a spectacular cast, including Florence Pugh, one of the most impressive actors working today. So why doesn’t this film work?
What’s it about?
Don’t Worry Darling centers around Alice (Florence Pugh) and Jack (Harry Styles), a married couple living the perfect life in 1950s California. They live in the town of Victory, which was developed for the employees of the Victory project and led by its CEO Frank (Chris Pine). The employees enjoy beautiful homes and cars, they are supplied with quality food, and there is always a social or party to enjoy with fantastic neighbors.
The town of Victory and its company are very patriarchal. The only people who work at the Victory Project are men. All these men are married to women, all of whom are housewives and homemakers. The wives get to live lavish lives as long as they are present and at their husband’s beck and call.
Something is very off about Victory, CA. The relationships between neighbors and friends seem fake and plastic, and the vagueness of what the Victory Project entails is suspicious. The men worship Frank more like he leads a cult than a company, and the restriction on the women’s movements throughout the town is unsettling.
Alice begins to have second thoughts about the town, especially after one of her best friends, Margaret (Kiki Layne), is pushed into having a nervous breakdown. After Margaret disappears after an accident, Alice is determined to discover the truth about Victory and its leader, Frank.
My Reaction
Don’t Worry Darling was one of my most anticipated films of the year. But let’s face it, Don’t Worry Darlingwas plagued with drama, mainly centering around the controversy surrounding Shia LeBeouf leaving the film and the relationship between Olivia Wilde and Harry Styles. I was sure that the controversy fueled some of the adverse reactions to the film. Then I had a chance to go to a Don’t Worry Darling screening and was disappointed to learn that the film’s criticisms were valid.
Florence Pugh carries the film and is the only reason it is somewhat interesting. Though this is a credit to her talents, a cast that includes Chris Pine, Gemma Chan, and Kiki Layne should have more spirited performances. Unfortunately, every other character was underdeveloped and underutilized. Even Nick Kroll, who is much better known for comedies, showed splashes within the film, but with only five minutes of screen time, you forget he is even there for most of this slog.
Instead of developing characters, the movie focuses on trying to build on its theme. Don’t Worry Darling is particularly interested in exploring toxic masculinity and male rage. Commentary in this area should be welcomed, as we see radicalized men in chatrooms developing organizations like The Proud Boys and storming capitals. But the film hits you with these themes with a sledgehammer. If you are hoping for a thoughtful and layered approach to these ideas, then the on-the-nose references will get annoying quickly.
However, even with its undeveloped characters and clumsy thematic elements, Don’t Worry Darling was ok for its first two acts. Florence Pugh won’t let you lose interest in her character’s search for the truth, and the beautiful production and costume designs make this chore a little lighter.
Instead of being glued to the screen for the climax, I was left wondering if I had seen anything more nonsensical this year.
Then, Don’t Worry Darling enters the realm of science fiction in its third act. Once the twist happens, the world of Don’t Worry Darling ultimately falls apart. The introduced sci-fi components make it implausible for the Victory, CA cult to realistically exist. Since the film is not careful with its world-building, you must apply the norms of our society to the situation as it unfolds. Instead of being glued to the screen for the climax, I was left wondering if I had seen anything more nonsensical this year.
Overall Rating
Florence Pugh is incredible but is also given the most to work with. The other actors want to leave a mark but aren’t given a chance. Harry Styles was especially put in a no-win situation, as he was outclassed next to the exceptional Pugh.
But the biggest crime of the film is its perceived arrogance. Science fiction is difficult because you must establish rules and abide by them for the project to work. When a film ignores its rules to move a plot forward, it feels as if the filmmakers either do not understand or respect the genre. Coupled with the clumsy handling of the subject material, the film ends up being one of the year’s biggest disappointments. Such a shame, as some fine-tuning of the screenplay and better editing work, could have fixed many of the film’s problems.
