Movie Review: Juicy Drama On Set Of ”Dont Worry Darling” Doesnt Make Up For Poor Final Product
After a month full of drama, viral posts and news cycles, Don't Worry Darling is finally in theaters, but unfortunately Olivia Wilde's second film failed to deliver as compelling a product as the commercial.
Don't worry, Darling features impeccable cinematography, stunning performances by Florence Pugh, and a spectacular and chilling 1950s-style couple story set in an idyllic world. Despite these strengths, the film offers a complicated plot that pretends to be smarter than it really is, a bad script, and a hilarious performance by star Harry Styles, all of which prevent Darling's worries from realizing their true potential.
The film stars Pugh and Stiles as Alice and Jack Chambers, a couple living beautiful 1950s-inspired lives in their quirky neighborhood paradise, under the tutelage of boss Jack Frank, played by Chris Pine, who puts on a terrifying and powerful performance. However, this warm feeling is soon shattered when Alice sees a recurring anomaly that makes her doubt her husband, her friends, and her life in general.
However, audiences don't flock to Don't Worry Darling just because of an idea like The Twilight Zone. The film is one of the most anticipated releases of 2022 due to its hectic promotional cycle, which has seen reports of a onstage feud between Wilde and Pugh, an altercation with former lead actor Shia LaBeouf, and a viral video clip allegedly provided by Styles. . Spitting pines at the Venice Film Festival.
LaBeouf was originally going to play Jack, but in late 2020 Wilde reportedly pulled LaBeouf off the production after details of a lawsuit by singer FKA Twigs surfaced alleging that LaBeouf had physically abused him. In 2022, the controversy escalated further when LaBeouf claimed he left the film alone instead of letting Wilde direct it, then released a video clip in which Wilde asks LaBeouf to stay and belittles Beauf.
The strained relationship between Pugh and Wilde is well-documented and is believed to have arisen from disagreements over Wilde and Styles' intimate relationship on set and the film's sexual propaganda style. Pugh said that the trailer was "perverted in the sex scene". Pugh was heavily absent from the film's promotion, and in late September a report confirmed compatibility between the two, as well as a "protracted negotiation process" that resulted in Pugh not being involved in promotion.
Wilde openly promoted the film as "feminist" but was criticized for LaBeouf's outspoken defense and the film's explicit sexual marketing. Wilde also sparked outrage over the development of the film, which carries an underdeveloped social message that seems hardly out of place in the rest of the film.
The ad cycle that dominated Twitter during August and September remains the most interesting aspect of Don't Worry Darling. There are funny and exciting moments in the movie that will at least keep viewers interested, but the movie never uses them, leaving the film with an atmosphere that tries to be scary for the sake of being scary rather than for narrative purposes.
Wilde's directing serves the film well, but is over the top at times, with repetitive three-way visual sequences that lose their visual luster fairly quickly, and a plethora of creepy 1950s songs that don't go down well with them. Wilde and screenwriter Cathy Silberman also struggled with a little prep, introducing several concepts in the final third chapter and then effectively abandoning them in favor of a bad twist, wiping out any interest stemming from the strong premise evoked in two of the first third builds. . .
Silberman also helped write Wilde's first film, Book Smart, but was unfortunately unable to recreate the narrow script the film offered. In contrast, Don't Worry Baby is filled with clichés, inconsistent character development, and poorly integrated social commentary that actors often can't shake off.
However, both Pugh and Pine are excellent and perfect for their roles as the protagonist and antagonist of the classic thriller, although Pine feels overwhelmed at the end of the film. Pugh brilliantly portrays a scared but determined woman who learns the truth about her circumstances and experiences several powerful healing moments that immerse viewers and lend emotional weight to some of the film's best moments.
While Stiles' mere presence was enough to fill the Don't Worry Baby chair, his pained lines and wobbly British accent didn't inspire confidence that the superstar musician could launch a successful career. Stiles isn't completely defenseless, but he's had the misfortune of playing the Oscar-nominated Pogue, who makes him look like he's over his head by comparison.
Another quality of the film, the cinematography, shines with Pugh's performance as one aspect of the film that is constantly on display throughout its run. Cinematographer Matthew Fauldick, who has worked on similar psychological thrillers such as Black Swan and Requiem for a Dream, puts his talent to good use, creating suspenseful tracking shots that manage to add an eerie atmosphere.
Don't worry, Darling isn't a completely worthless movie, but audiences looking to watch it after its forgotten production run will likely be disappointed by its flaws, lack of setting, good performance, and failure to go beyond the concept. to make the most of it. The film is visually stunning and Florence B. can't go wrong, but don't worry, Darling doesn't offer enough to justify her shaky presence.
This article appeared in the September 26, 2022 issue of Hatchit.
