As the theater lights dimmed, you could hear the excitement in the packed theater. Don’t Worry Darling following a seemingly happy couple, Jack and Alice Chambers—played by Harry Styles and Florence Pugh—and their picture-perfect 1950’s lives in the town of Victory, California.
The town was founded by the fascinating yet mysterious man Frank (Chris Pine), who is also Jack’s and all the other male residents’ boss. Although everything seems like an ideal life, director Olivia Wilde, who also stars as Bunny, Jack and Alice’s neighbor, makes it clear very early on that something is off.
Although the plot progresses at a slow pace, each character, scene, line, and outfit had purpose. Not only was the chemistry between Styles and Pugh something that made the entire theatre blush, but the star-studded cast brought their A-game making us all gasp, scream, and cry. A truly sinister performance to say the least. Florence Pugh really outdid herself this time. Her captivating performance left the audience at the edge of our seats, rooting for her.
While the time passed, the cracks beneath their ideal world began to show. It was thought provoking. One couldn’t help but wonder: how far would you go for control? Victory had one rule: the women stayed home. Every day. The men left for work in their suits and shiny cars. The women would wave goodbye from their driveways and then spend their whole day shopping, at the town pool, cleaning, cooking, and waiting at home with a drink in hand for their husbands to return from work.
After Alice watches someone she used to consider a friend acting strange, she begins to question everything. These questions are what ultimately lead her to trouble, putting not only her marriage, but her life at risk.
To put it bluntly, the movie dragged on at some points. After the fourth time of Alice going through a circle of confusion and hallucinations, it lost its edge. Themes of gender roles and sexism are displayed without clarity throughout the movie when tensions between the couples living in Victory began to arise.
The soundtrack is definitely something to note, however. Songs from Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, and The Chords created a combination set for the 50’s. Yet, there is one song that especially stood out, an original song written by Harry Styles, performed by him and Florence Pugh. “With You All The Time” was a beautifully composed song to explain the relationship between Alice and Jack.
One has to weigh in on the drama and anticipation that lead this movie release, possibly saying it was one of the most dramatic movie releases they have ever seen. It is impossible after hearing the ‘issues’ within the cast, or Wilde’s controversial message to Shia LaBeouf begging him to stay on the project.
It was a shock coming from so-called feminist Wilde, who claimed she fired LaBeouf after allegations were made against him. With all of this, and lead actress Pugh not attending every premier, raises the question if everything we thought we knew about this cast was a lie.
In the end, just as the perfect town of Victory started to break, and the characters started to realize the truth, the movie left viewers with many unanswered questions and the feeling of “what just happened?” It was a mix of confusion, anticipation, and colorful vintage cars. It is definitely a flawed movie, but an interesting concept to produce. If you are looking for a movie to think about hours after it ended, this is it.
