HAMPTON ROADS, Va. — It is easy to forget that "Don't Worry Darling," which opened to $19 million over the weekend, is a real movie, and not just a collected edition of gossipy headlines. Director Olivia Wilde brings an impressive cast to the big screen for the thriller, which squeezes every cent out of its modest $35 million budget. The film is impressively confident, colorful and tense... And yet, beneath the veneer of its "stepford-esque" 1950's Americana, something feels off.
Much in the way that star Florence Pugh begins to suspect that all is not as it seems in the town of "Victory," I, too, began to feel that I was duped when some of the film's closely guarded plot details were made apparent. It is clear that the film draws inspiration from Hitchcock, and perhaps "The Twilight Zone" as well, playing with ideas reminiscent of what you'd find in a Jordan Peele film. Indeed, Wilde and screenwriter Katie Silberman zero in on issues that feel painfully relevant in our social landscape. It is disappointing, then, that "Darling" only skims the surface of these themes, opting instead to focus on a plot that relies too much on high-concept surprises and turns.
To spill the secrets of "Don't Worry Darling" would spoil the core mystery that propels the entire film. For much of the movie's two-hour runtime, the viewer is left to speculate wildly about what's really going on, without being given much at all in the way of reliable information. Wilde invites the audience to carefully study the setting and characters, but there aren't always answers to be found behind the curtain. At times, it begins to feel like the film is circling the runway, waiting until the clock signals that it's time for act three. The pace may allow keen-eyed viewers to get ahead of some of the more predictable twists, but to be fair, they'll likely underestimate some of the more clever ones.
When the film finally shows its hand, the conceit found at the heart of this story feels unfortunately familiar. The interesting questions it raises have been better explored by movies and TV shows that have come before (saying exactly which ones would give away too much). The ambiguous aspects of the story ultimately come across as a failure to find something different to say about the timely themes of misogyny, manipulation, and misinformation.
In this way, "Don't Worry Darling" is improved by its rumored behind-the-scenes antics. As the film and the artists behind it are overshadowed by whispers of feuds, firings, and phlegm, the core message of the movie is proven true: that many in our world are ready to accept — and assert — whatever narratives serve them best, regardless of what that means for the people at the center of them.
"Don't Worry Darling" is a gorgeous and entertaining thriller that lacks the thoroughness it strives for. My audience had a great time. I enjoyed the hair and costumes above all else. Director Olivia Wilde has indisputable style.
She's also dating Harry Styles. Or haven't you heard?
My rating: 2.5 Harry Styles heads out of 5.
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