Don't Worry Darling is a mystery and thriller movie set in the 1950s, directed by Olivia Wilde and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film plot is based around a housewife living with her husband in a utopian experimental community, who begins to worry that his glamorous company could be hiding disturbing secrets.
I did not have a lot of high expectations for this movie if I am honest, I did watch the trailer but didn't think much of it, and struggled to gauge what category the film actually falls under: is it romance or horror? I went in not really knowing what to expect, which I think made the movie even better to watch. Don't Worry Darling has a Rotten Tomato score of 38%, which I am actually shocked about as I really did enjoy the film and would rate it way higher!
Of course, the selling point of the movie is the lead character, Harry Styles. I have actually never seen Harry's acting before but I was super intrigued to see this one as I know he had previously gotten a lot of stick for his acting in Dunkirk. I don't class myself as a Harry Styles fan at all, but after watching this movie I can say I am a huge fan of his acting skills more so than his singing skills.
I absolutely loved this movie and was absolutely hooked the whole way through. I really loved the fact it was set in the 1950s, as I feel the setting is something that I really enjoyed watching and seeing the stereotypical patriarchal society where the man goes to work to make a living and the woman stays at home to clean. I got very much Truman Show vibes from this movie, which I am not complaining about as The Truman Show is a true classic.
This film was heart-wrenchingly beautiful and extremely captivating. Anyone who leaves this thinking ‘Nah' must be dead inside. Wilde created this ideal world that I never wanted to leave… this beautiful world where the couples were so in love, and everything was so easygoing, perfect, and relaxed. The twist underneath the plot is so utterly riveting- this film had me from start to finish. I've never been so engrossed in a world- once I left the cinema and into the real world you feel a sense of strangeness- as though you too are going back into reality. I could really see how these characters were so pulled in by the world because I felt exactly the same.
One thing I will say is Don't Worry Darling is super fast-paced, so much so that if you even go to the toilet during the film you may come back absolutely puzzled with the plot. This is not a movie you can stick on in the background, you must put all your focus into watching it and really concentrate on the plot, and when you do, you will realize how amazing this movie really is. The plot is very ever-changing and thickens throughout the film, the ending is very unexpected, and when the credits began to roll I could feel my jaw wide open- it really was a moment of realization.
Florence Pugh is one of my favorite female actresses, she always excels in her roles and she did not fall short on this one either. I feel she was the perfect fit for the role of Alice, and her acting skills shone through on Don't Worry Darling. You really did feel as though Florence and Harry were in a real, loving relationship- and as though it was real life. Another huge thing I loved about the movie was the soundtrack, there is nothing I love more than a movie with an amazing soundtrack, and this one was honestly the best. The soundtrack features some of the most popular songs of the 50s, including Little Willie John and Brenton Wood. I was singing my heart out throughout! Listen to the movie soundtrack on Spotify here:
The plot of this movie has been described by many as 'weird' online, and I totally agree in the best way possible. The plot couldn't be weirder, you couldn't even guess what is going to happen next, which is why I feel this is such a fantastic movie, and do not agree with the film critics at all on this one- it is absolutely brilliant and I found myself at the edge of my seat the entire duration of the film! Whatever you do, please don't leave before the movie ends as the ending is the most shocking and gut-wrenching ending I have ever seen, ever.
