Three years after the success of her debut feature Booksmart, director Olivia Wilde returns with Don’t Worry Darling, a mystery thriller starring Florence Pugh and Harry Styles.
The film has been swamped in controversy leading up to its release, with Wilde’s personal relationship with Styles and reports of a rift between the director and lead actress making tabloid headlines. Pugh’s omission from the press tour and a bizarre ‘spitting’ incident between Styles and co-Star Chris Pine at the films premiere, only added fuel to the rumour mills flame.
The film itself is a tonal departure for Wilde, who explored her comedic side with Booksmart, but here channels something much more serious.
Pugh and Styles (who was a late replacement for the allegedly sacked Shia LeBeouf) star as couple Alice and Jack, residents of an idyllic 1950’s style community, which houses the employees of the Victory corporation. Every morning Jack departs into the desert with the other husbands for work at Victory headquarters, while Alice and the other wives remain at home to cook, clean and prepare for their men’s return. Befriending fellow wives Bunny (Wilde) and Margaret (Kiki Layne) Alice is discouraged from asking too many questions about the nature of her husband’s job. However, when Margaret’s behaviour takes a sudden turn, Alice begins to suspect the company is keeping a sinister secret.
The script by Katie Silberman is adapted from a story by brothers Carey and Shane Van Dyke (Grandsons of Hollywood legend Dick) and is loaded with intrigue and suspense, while visually the film is beautifully captured by experienced DOP Matthew Libatique, who expertly harnesses the utopian 50’s aesthetic of Victory.
Performance wise, Pugh is the stand out, as she so often is, deftly transitioning from perfect obedient housewife to an agitated chaotic mess, obsessed with uncovering the truth. Styles is passable as her husband Jack, but delivers a rather bland and unmemorable turn. Chris Pine however, oozes an enigmatic charm as Frank, Victory’s slippery leader, with his loyal wife Shelley (Gemma Chan) standing dutifully at his side. Despite the encouraging opening, its the films lack of conviction that ultimately lets it down. The themes of toxic masculinity that are set up so well, are never thoroughly explored, and the films big reveal when it comes is underwhelming at best.
Don’t Worry Darling, doesn’t replicate the resounding success of Wilde’s debut feature, but equally isn’t the car crash her detractors would have you believe.
An engaging and well crafted film that falls down in the final third and fails to fulfil its considerable potential.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Paul Steward
@grittster
28/09/22