If you’ve been following the internet over the past couple of weeks, you have probably heard about Olivia Wilde’s newest film, Don’t Worry Darling. When I first heard about it years ago, I knew it was a movie I had to see. I’ve always loved psychological thrillers and the cast is filled to the brim with amazing actors. Ever since I saw Florence Pugh (who plays the heroine, Alice) in Little Women, she has been one of my favorite actors. Additionally, Gemma Chan (who plays Shelly), is one of the leads in one of my favorite movies, Crazy Rich Asians. Being an avid fan, I was extremely excited when I found out that Harry Styles would have a major role in the film as well. Words could not describe how much I was looking forward to seeing this movie. Unfortunately, I am sorry to say that I was disappointed. 

I truly enjoyed the start of the movie. The aesthetic was beautiful and made me hopeful for the rest of the film. However, I started to lose interest as the story continued. I found that Alice became aware of what was going on without reason. I wish it happened slower; this would have successfully dragged out the intensity of her psychosis. I also found that there were many unnecessary characters and plot points. This includes Peter (Asif Ali), his wife, Peg (Kate Berlant), Violet (Sydney Chandler), and her husband, Bill (Douglas Smith). They contributed little to nothing to the plot, other than living in the same neighborhood as the main characters. However, the character that drove the entire plot, Margaret (Kiki Layne), had most of her scenes cut. It was Margeret’s psychosis that drove Alice to question her reality, yet she was only in a few scenes. On top of this, there were scenes that included completely irrelevant plot points, the worst of which happens when Styles dances on a table for what seems like hours. I was confused and unfulfilled. The ending left me with more questions than answers. 

On a positive note, Florence Pugh’s phenomenal acting makes up for the entire film. If the movie was just about her and her character, I’d see it over and over again. Styles, on the other hand, was underwhelming. The role was too big for him as an untrained actor. He fit the look and style of Jack but lacked the emotional intensity that the role required. Jack is a deeply disturbed character; his role needed an actor who was able to go into that mindset. While I loved seeing Styles try out acting, a smaller part would have been a better fit. The concept of the film was genius, but it wasn’t executed to its fullest potential. If the film was taken in a different, more professional direction, it could have been fantastic.  

Overall, I enjoyed the film, but I wouldn’t say it is something you absolutely have to see. If you’re a fan of the genre or the actors, I would recommend it. If you are just bored on a Saturday night and looking for a great movie to watch, I’d go in a different direction.